Russia did not face an imminent security threat to justify its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Yevgeny Prigozhin, the founder of Russia’s Wagner mercenary outfit, said in a bombshell video posted on social media Friday. “The Armed Forces of Ukraine were not going to attack Russia with the NATO bloc,” Prigozhin explained in the half-hour tirade released by his press service. “The Russian Defense Ministry is deceiving the public and the president,” he added.
Russia did not face an imminent security threat to justify its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Yevgeny Prigozhin, the founder of Russia’s Wagner mercenary outfit
…but don’t blame me, I’m just a mercenary and they offered money.
“I’ve made enough money at this point.”
Sure does seem from recent statements like he’s seeing writing on the wall regarding the war in Ukraine and is trying to ensure he’s got his ass covered in the event Putin isn’t around to protect him.
tl;dr:
Russia did not face an imminent security threat to justify its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Yevgeny Prigozhin, the founder of Russia’s Wagner mercenary outfit, said in a bombshell video posted on social media Friday. Prigozhin’s comments were at odds with the casus belli given by President Vladimir Putin when he ordered troops into Ukraine last February, although the private army chief avoided personally attacking the Russian leader. Putin has cited NATO expansion near Russia’s borders as one of the main justifications for invading neighboring Ukraine. Prigozhin also accused Kremlin-linked oligarchs of seeking to plunder Ukraine’s resources after its military capture and appointment of a puppet regime in Kyiv. Some analysts have interpreted Prigozhin’s latest comments as a sign of his growing political ambitions.
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This is huge. If this video reaches the Russian population it could lead to the end of the war. Prigozhin is not someone to be taken lightly.
The Russian Defense Ministry is deceiving the public and the president.
This particular wording is interesting. Prigozhin doesn’t blame Putin. He blames the Defense Ministry. This might be a way out of this war for Putin.
That seems to me more a way in for him in the ministry of Defense. Scapegoating current defense minister and replacing him…
I wonder what his angle is. All I can assume is that things are very bleak on the battlefield and he’s choosing his men over Putin.
Maybe he senses the imminent end of putin and want’s to be a possibility for an executive seat on the next government.
Is there a more reputable source to confirm this?
