Both Ukrainian and Russian people have nothing but disdain for Putin’s war! 50,000 Russian soldiers have died and 150,000 have been wounded. During the 24 hours of 6/23-24/2023, the Wagner Group, a network of approximately 50,000 Russian mercenaries (ie. well-paid contractors!) under the control of Yevgeny Prigozhin, called for rebellion against Putin. On the morning of June 24th, Putin, blindsided and embarrassed by the turn of events, labeled it “treason” and vowed to crush the “mutiny”!
Wagner Forces (WF) played a significant role in Putin’s latest invasion of Ukraine. They were, also, with him in Ukraine during his takeover of Crimea in 2014. Now, the battlefield is changing; history is in the making! WF, no longer Ukraine’s foe, initiated its revolt by militarily ripping Rostov-on-Don (southern Russia, adjoining SE Ukraine) from Putin’s control. Wagner troops began advancing north to Moscow … approximately 200 miles away. Russian media blaring instructions for the mayor’s ban on all travel into Moscow. It will be riveting to see what happens next!
Most of the world despises Putin for his unprovoked war on innocent men, women and children in Ukraine. In 2014, he annexed Crimea with the same brutality. Part of his troops from then and now consists of a privately- contracted, expensive network of mercenaries called the Wagner Group (WG), owned and led by Yevgeny Prigozhin, an old “friend” of Putin for 30 years.
Recently, rivalry between WG and the Ministry of Defense veered out of control. Putin fired the WG. Prigozhin was furious! So, he and his men initiated a not very well planned revolt against Putin. The WG seized Rostov-on-Don (Putin’s southern Russia suppliis headquarters), killed several Russian soldiers, destroyed four tanks and shot down a Russian jet.
Before running-off to St. Petersburg to hide, Putin ordered a travel ban to Moscow, vowed to crush the “traitors” and promised “decisive actions” against Prigozhin! When the WG was within 120 miles of Moscow, Pres. Lukashenko of Belarus worked a deal. Prigozhin would stop the advance, be exiled to Belarus and allegedly criminal charges would be dropped. GW members, who did not take part in the short lived revolt, would receive new contracts; no stated plan for others. The world watched. Though averted, Russia and Putin’s instabilities were laid bare! It, no doubt, got XI’s attention.
