The Washington Post reported on Saturday night that according to U.S. officials, intelligence gathered in mid-June suggested Yevgeniy Prigozhin, the leader of the Wagner mercenary group, was preparing to launch an armed attack against the Russian defence establishment.
According to the report, the American spy agencies promptly alerted the White House and other branches of government to ensure readiness. Before Prigozhin's unexpected takeover of a military command in Rostov-on-Don and a tank run toward Moscow over the course of Friday and Saturday, the precise details and timing of his plans were unknown. While worries about President Vladimir Putin's hold on power and Russia's nuclear arsenal surfaced, the main worry was the potential instability brought on by a "civil war" within Russia.
An order from the Russian Defence Ministry on June 10 requiring all volunteer detachments to sign contracts with the government served as a significant catalyst for Prigozhin. The order implied a takeover of Prigozhin's mercenary forces, who have been crucial to Russia's military campaign in Ukraine and secured tactical victories, despite not specifically mentioning Wagner.
Following the announcement, Ukrainian military officials had been keeping an eye on Prigozhin because they thought he might rally his troops against Moscow. However, the Ukrainian official was not aware that Washington was providing Kyiv with intelligence regarding Prigozhin's potential behaviour.
Due to his catering contracts with the Kremlin and his work as an internet propagandist, Prigozhin—also known as "Putin's chef”—is also a defendant in a criminal case in the United States for alleged meddling in the 2016 presidential election. The U.S. government will postpone new sanctions against the Russian private military organization after its capitulation, according to a Saturday Wall Street Journal report.
Putin was aware of Prigozhin's plans despite friction between his group and the Russian Ministry of Defence, though it is unclear when he was made aware of them specifically. Putin's failure to stop Prigozhin from seizing control of the Russian military and moving closer to Moscow is an indication of possible internal rivalries and a lack of coordination within the Russian government.
It is anticipated that Prigozhin will succeed in his main goal of a military shakeup that could result in the removal of current Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and Army Chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov, despite retreating following a deal he reached with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko that included the Wagner chief's return to Belarus.
Many Americans are wondering about the timing of the entire incident, which resulted in breathless reports of a developing "civil war" in Russia that lasted less than 24 hours. The Russian "coup" attempt dominated the news cycle and overshadowed lingering inquiries about President Joe Biden, such as newly available information that credibly links him to his son Hunter Biden in a bribery scheme.
According to the report, the American spy agencies promptly alerted the White House and other branches of government to ensure readiness. Before Prigozhin's unexpected takeover of a military command in Rostov-on-Don and a tank run toward Moscow over the course of Friday and Saturday, the precise details and timing of his plans were unknown. While worries about President Vladimir Putin's hold on power and Russia's nuclear arsenal surfaced, the main worry was the potential instability brought on by a "civil war" within Russia.
An order from the Russian Defence Ministry on June 10 requiring all volunteer detachments to sign contracts with the government served as a significant catalyst for Prigozhin. The order implied a takeover of Prigozhin's mercenary forces, who have been crucial to Russia's military campaign in Ukraine and secured tactical victories, despite not specifically mentioning Wagner.
Following the announcement, Ukrainian military officials had been keeping an eye on Prigozhin because they thought he might rally his troops against Moscow. However, the Ukrainian official was not aware that Washington was providing Kyiv with intelligence regarding Prigozhin's potential behaviour.
Due to his catering contracts with the Kremlin and his work as an internet propagandist, Prigozhin—also known as "Putin's chef”—is also a defendant in a criminal case in the United States for alleged meddling in the 2016 presidential election. The U.S. government will postpone new sanctions against the Russian private military organization after its capitulation, according to a Saturday Wall Street Journal report.
Putin was aware of Prigozhin's plans despite friction between his group and the Russian Ministry of Defence, though it is unclear when he was made aware of them specifically. Putin's failure to stop Prigozhin from seizing control of the Russian military and moving closer to Moscow is an indication of possible internal rivalries and a lack of coordination within the Russian government.
It is anticipated that Prigozhin will succeed in his main goal of a military shakeup that could result in the removal of current Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and Army Chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov, despite retreating following a deal he reached with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko that included the Wagner chief's return to Belarus.
Many Americans are wondering about the timing of the entire incident, which resulted in breathless reports of a developing "civil war" in Russia that lasted less than 24 hours. The Russian "coup" attempt dominated the news cycle and overshadowed lingering inquiries about President Joe Biden, such as newly available information that credibly links him to his son Hunter Biden in a bribery scheme.
