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Ukraine War: Wagner’s fading thrust


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2 hours ago, Ser Scot A Ellison said:

Has anyone seen Prigozhin since he got in the car to “go to Belarus”?

Apparently not and the criminal case has not been dropped either. Maybe the reason he stopped as he appeared to be winning is the Kremlin had agents among those close to him and forced him too. A coup within the coup as it were. It would make a lot of things that don't add up make sense. But whatever happened this isn't over yet. 

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2 hours ago, Derfel Cadarn said:

Has anyone seen Putin, Shoigu or Gerasimov? Are they all just lying low hoping everyone will forget about the coup?

Yep, they are fine. I play online poker with them.

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3 minutes ago, Derfel Cadarn said:

Does Prigozhin fold even when he’s got a full house?

No idea. Not in our group. Peskov and Medvedev sometimes join, he tilts far too easily. Anyway, golden rule is, don't raise vladdi. Even if you have the nuts. Just fold. No pot is worth it.

Edited by A Horse Named Stranger
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20 minutes ago, IheartIheartTesla said:

He just uploaded an 11 minute statement quite recently defending his actions and explaining his rationale (nothing new compared to what we've heard before IMO)

He doesn't say where he is now, and I personally assume that he is not in Belarus.  I have to assume he will flee to Africa or some other Wagner holding.  Relying on Lukashenko to protect you from Putin is a fool's bet.  Plus, Prigozhin wants to maintain his Wagner holdings, so I would imagine he'll try to bolster whatever he has overseas for the new reality of operating without Russian assistance. 

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8 hours ago, A Horse Named Stranger said:

He will receive an offer he can't refuse and those mines will be sold for a knock-off prize to another Kremlim oligarch. Or his assets will simply be seized by a court in Russia.

Um the US has been trying to get those assets stripped from him for years and have not succeeded.  I doubt the poot can then either.

~~~~~~~~~~~

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/26/business/dealbook/prigozhins-wagner-money.html

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.... Who is Mr. Prigozhin? Europe and the United States have been trying to shut down Prigozhin’s sprawling business operations for years. On the F.B.I.’s most wanted list, Mr. Prigozhin rose quickly in Putin’s Russia — from being the president’s favored caterer to winning major contracts that bankrolled Wagner Group, his private mercenary operation. Founded in 2014, Wagner fights wars and trains militias in politically restive countries, and it has been Mr. Putin’s go-to force when military campaigns go awry, such as in Syria and Ukraine. And Wagner’s internet troll farms target Western democracies and elections, including the 2016 U.S. presidential campaign.

Wagner is a “brutal” transnational criminal organization, according to the Treasury Department. Evro Polis, a Prigozhin-linked company, that won energy concessions in Syria in return for military support. In Sudan and the Central African Republic, Wagner has muscled in on mining operations to help bankroll its operations.

To avoid sanctions and conceal its finances, Wagner often demands payment in gold, diamonds and shipments of oil and gas. The Financial Times estimated that between 2018 and 2021, revenues from Wagner’s holdings in natural resources were roughly $250 million.

Mr. Prigozhin also relies on a global network of corporate lawyers to fend off Western authorities, according to a separate F.T. report. The Treasury has identified business partners that are helping Wagner fight in Ukraine: two Russian firms — Terra Tech and AO BARL — and China’s Spacety, which provides satellite imagery to the group. ....

 

In the New Yorker, a substantial look by someone who has long been paying attention at the Putin - Prigozhin dynamic, as played and displayed in Putin's military circles, and farther away from seats of power --

Putin’s Weakness Unmasked
How Yevgeny Prigozhin’s rebellion exposed the Russian President.

https://www.newyorker.com/news/daily-comment/vladimir-putins-weakness-unmasked-yevgeny-prigozhins-rebellion?

 

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Putin says Wagner fighters can sign up with defense ministry, return to families or move to Belarus

https://www.cnn.com/europe/live-news/russia-ukraine-war-news-06-26-23/index.html

Quote

 

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday thanked the Wagner Group fighters who made the "right decision" and halted their advance. 

"I thank those soldiers and commanders of the Wagner Group who made the only right decision — they did not go for fratricidal bloodshed, they stopped at the last line," Putin said in an address to the nation.

He also said those fighters would have the "opportunity to continue serving Russia by entering into a contract with the Ministry of Defense or other law enforcement agencies, or to return to your family and friends. Whoever wants to can go to Belarus."


During the address to the nation, Putin did not mention Wagner leader Yevgeny Prigozhin by name. 

 

 

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So, the poot addressed the Russian people and the world a little while ago, saying nothing that hasn't been said.  However, the two guys that Prigozhin says are the problem are still sitting in the council chamber and we see them in the background.  Prigozhin and Wagner troops no longer fighting in Ukraine.  The other two are still running this show that has been doing so very well in Ukraine. :P

At least that's my take.  Others may see something else, and there are surely others who know more than I do -- not difficult that last bit.  :cheers:

 

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Wagner isn't going to be fighting Ukraine again.  That alone is a pretty big win for Ukraine, since that was 25k or so of Russia's best equipped troops.  In addition to the morale issues this only exacerbates for Russia, and the loss of 7 aircraft.

This is all going down the tubes for Russia.  It would take a significant reversal to hold on to any Ukrainian territory for another 18 months (Crimea possibly excepted).  Donald Trump is not riding in to save Putin here.

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2 hours ago, Maithanet said:

Wagner isn't going to be fighting Ukraine again.  That alone is a pretty big win for Ukraine, since that was 25k or so of Russia's best equipped troops.  In addition to the morale issues this only exacerbates for Russia, and the loss of 7 aircraft.

This is all going down the tubes for Russia.  It would take a significant reversal to hold on to any Ukrainian territory for another 18 months (Crimea possibly excepted).  Donald Trump is not riding in to save Putin here.

I wouldn't be so sure about that. Assuming Wagner keeps in fighting shape they will be recalled sooner or later. Whether that will be the rehearsal for Swan Lake is another topic but at one point Muscovy will draw in every fighting force. Maybe even the Tiktoks. Better to burn them in Ukraine than have them in tip-top shape for another  round against the dumpster trucks.

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I expect a bunch of them to still see the front in Ukraine, it will just be split up from the people they know how to work with and sent into fodder infantry units to get killed with little to no support. Executing them without the political drama of executing them.

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Let's wait and see. We don't know how many of them will be signing contracts with MoD. If they simply switch uniforms, from Wagner to regulars then nothing has changed fundamentally. 

If they join Prigozhin in Belarusk the questions remain, what will they be doing there and how will Prigozhin continue to pay them. Sustaining a standing army is expensive. Wagner in Belarusk would only made sense, if they used it as staging ground to fight in Ukraine there. With the nukes as a deterrent to stop Poland from slapping them down and Lukashenko being able to deny any Belarusk involvement.

I am still kinda baffled by this Wagner goes Belarusk business.

 

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