andrewducker | Interesting Links for 27-06-2023

Some are suggesting it was a staged event

Unlikely, but everything about Russia's internal politics is unlikely.

I'd put that explanation on equal odds with the 'sensible' explanation, which is that Wagner's troops are taking serious losses and a general breakdown in discipline is turning into widespread mutiny.

...And, in all probability, the Russian Army has taken to 'encouraging' them to participate in attacks with artillery fire.

So what could Prigozhin do, caught between the consequences of failure and the harsh reality of bringing disposable and undertrained troops to war?

.........

The threat of a destabilising coup is a powerful bargaining chip, which can never actually be played.

Could Prigozhin have been pushed into trying a symbolic 'coup' without asking himself "What if Putin calls my bluff?"

Could he be in a desperate position where he had to try it anyway?

At least, this way, some of his troops will regard him as a heroic leader, instead of trying to kill him; and the rest will be sent to their deaths by regular Russian Army officers.

But it's all speculation and the best analysis is:

Whatever the real explanation is, it'll be far stranger and far more stupid than anyone sane or properly-medicated would ever have suggested.

... And we might never actually know the truth.

Edited (Edited for clarity) 2023-06-28 08:12 (UTC)

Whatever the real explanation is, it'll be far stranger and far more stupid than anyone sane or properly-medicated would ever have suggested.

Yes. This.

Edited (Learning how to use the quote feature. Hah.) 2023-06-28 16:29 (UTC)

Also - I had to look it up, but that there is a fine pune.

Interesting Links for 27-06-2023

Putin de bordel de merde.

Re: Putin de bordel de merde.

Re: Putin de bordel de merde.