RIGA, Latvia — Vladimir Putin, the Russian President, spoke about the importance of “unity and patriotism” in his nation, aiming to display a united front following a failed mutiny by Wagner mercenaries. However, the recent events have raised concerns about the divisions within Russia’s security forces and Putin’s ability to handle the risk of civil war.
In response, the Kremlin has been working hard to project unity and reinforce Putin’s strength while also attempting to tarnish the image of Yevgeniy Prigozhin, the former Putin ally who led the rebellion. However, the reasons behind Prigozhin’s escape without punishment appear questionable, casting doubt on Putin’s competence and strength in times of crisis.
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko confirmed that Prigozhin had arrived in Belarus, fulfilling the key condition of his deal with the Kremlin to drop insurgency charges against him in exchange for the relocation of Wagner’s operations. Lukashenko has also offered an abandoned military base to the mercenary group.
During a meeting with military service members, Putin made a shocking revelation by admitting that the mercenaries were fully financed by the state, contradicting his previous denials of any state links to Wagner. He disclosed that Russia had paid over $1 billion to the Wagner Group from May 2022 to May 2023 and Prigozhin’s Concord company received nearly $1 billion for supplying food to the military. This revelation could damage Putin’s reputation, exposing the true cost of the Ukraine war, which the Kremlin has tried to conceal from the public.
The Russian Defense Ministry announced that Wagner would hand over heavy weapons provided by the government for the war in Ukraine. Putin also met with military and security officers, praising them for preventing a civil war. However, critics argue that his claims of unity are contradicted by the images of Prigozhin being cheered by the public and people wanting selfies with him as he left Rostov-on-Don after abandoning the rebellion.
Questions have been raised about how Wagner forces were able to seize a major military headquarters in Rostov-on-Don and advance to within 125 miles of Moscow without an effective military response. Despite the discontent among nationalists and some Russian military officers regarding Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu’s handling of the war, his presence at Putin’s meeting with military officers suggests that he is unlikely to be removed.
The agreement between Putin and Prigozhin to drop charges against the mercenaries appears to be holding, brokered by Lukashenko. The Kremlin claims that the unity of Russian society, political forces, and the military around Putin saved the country. However, critics argue that support for the regime was minimal, and people were merely bystanders during the mutiny.
Having observed the events, Lukashenko summed up the situation by stating that there are no heroes in this case and that a tragedy had been avoided. The crisis has shaken the faith of the Russian elite in Putin’s strength, leading to rumors of a potential crackdown on internal dissent.
The recent mutiny and Russia’s slow response have left the Russian population confused and questioning their loyalty to the war. The events have challenged Putin’s justification for starting the war and have raised concerns about the true state of unity and strength within the country.
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