Ukraine

[Mantis]

Or perhaps he was expecting to gather more support from army defections along the way and realised as he neared Moscow that he didn't have anywhere near enough support to overthrow the government.

I expect he'll be dead within the year. That was an attempt at an armed insurrection. They shot down planes and helicopters on the way to Moscow. That would see you thrown in jail for the rest of your life in western democracies and Putin has had people killed for far less. He's absolutely humiliated the regime, if Putin lets him live then that's just a sign to other hopeful warlords in future that they can have a pop at the leadership and if enough don't turn out in support for them then they can just retire in exile without any consequences.

He must know he's a dead man now. I wish he'd just gone all in on it and fought to the end, a siege in Moscow would have forced withdrawals from Ukraine to secure the city. As long as they controlled Rostov on Don they would have supremely buggered logistics up for getting supplies to the front lines too and Ukraine would have had a much easier time with the counter offensive.

There's some pretty wild conspiracy theories online about how this was all part of Putin's grand plan. Absolute rubbish. He might have held on for now, but Putin's position has been weakened a lot by this rebellion.

[Sly Boots]

Yeah, I think your initial point is spot on Mantis, I think he was hoping to gather more support from disaffected generals, and got out of dodge when that didn't happen.

[Wrathbone]

There's some pretty wild conspiracy theories online about how this was all part of Putin's grand plan. Absolute rubbish. He might have held on for now, but Putin's position has been weakened a lot by this rebellion.

Exactly. The idea that it was an intentional conspiracy (to trick Ukraine into an opportunisitc assault on the front lines, I guess?) gives far too much credit to the organisational and strategic capibility of Russia at the moment. It was a heavily-armed strop that backfired.

[Maturin]

Yeah, they lost some Ka-52's to Wagner's AA apparently - and they are like gold dust to the Russian army. So I can't believe for a moment this was in any way intentional.

[Animalmother]

What could have been. The probable collapse of Putin and the Russian military fleeing full tilt back over the border to join the looting frenzy.

[eny]

Fantastic thread gives an insight into the machinations between Wagner and Russia recently:





That explains a lot, Prigozhin has a sledgehammer to grind...

[Hatredsheart]

[Sly Boots]

Haha, was going to make a comment about buying a bungalow if you live in Russia...

[Raid]

In news that will shock absolutely nobody, Wagner-group leader Prigozhin has tripped and fallen from the world's highest balcony.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-66599733

[Animalmother]

Uh...that's going to get interesting.

[Mantis]

Yep, called it. No way was he walking away from that insurrection attempt.

Good riddance to be honest, absolute dumpster fire of a human being.