Moscow has announced an “anti-terrorist operation” as the mercenary group says it’s engaging in battles with the regular Russian military.

  • Clbull@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    We all know how this is gonna end. Prigozhin marches his 25,000 troops into Moscow, faces stiff resistance and is either killed in combat or captured.

    Putin then goes full Vlad the Impaler and parades his corpse skewered on a pike for all of Russia to see, as a stark reminder of what happens to rebels.

    This is a substantial setback for the Russian war effort, but I really cannot see Prigozhin overthrowing Putin. Best thing he could have done was defect to the West instead of try to depose the figurehead.

    He is pissing on a hornet’s nest.

    • Rusticus@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      Isn’t ~97% of Russian military engaged in Ukraine? Where would this “stiff resistance” come from? Wagner is already 1/2 way to Moscow!

    • el_cordoba@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      After seeing how much of a coward Putin is I have a hard time seeing him be anything more than an opportunist who takes easy cheap shots. He is out if his league now.

      • graphite@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        After seeing how much of a coward Putin is I have a hard time seeing him be anything more than an opportunist who takes easy cheap shots. He is out if his league now.

        A coward? Lol, idk about that.

        It takes real balls to last as long as he has as a dictator. It also takes balls to piss off the entire UN while continuing to double down.

        I don’t see this turning out well for him, but if he was really a coward none of this shit would have happened.

        Nah, he’s just a dictator who finally bit off more than he could chew.

        • el_cordoba@lemmy.world
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          1 year ago

          Yes and no. I think being a dictator like him goes hand in hand with being a coward. For example, repeatedly resorting to war crimes when a war isn’t going your way, pretending to show up in public when there is a chance of assasination (but I guess Putin has plenty of enemies so it makes sense 🤣), poisoning and killing anyone who doesn’t show 100% loyalty to you, jailing your opposition, and even jailing and using excessive force against protestors for simply appearing upset.

          The situation with Prigozhin could even demostrate his cowardice (assuming it isn’t just a tactic to move wagner closer to Kviv) considering how bizarre it was. Either he caved to Prigozhin or it was fake.

          At this point I am curious how this ends for him and Russia, but I am sure it won’t end well.

          • graphite@lemmy.world
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            1 year ago

            For example, repeatedly resorting to war crimes when a war isn’t going your way, pretending to show up in public when there is a chance of assasination (but I guess Putin has plenty of enemies so it makes sense 🤣),

            You sure his reasoning for performing those war crimes is because the war wasn’t going his way? I could see him performing them regardless of the outcome - it aligns with his ruthless behavior.

            I still wouldn’t it cowardly though.

            pretending to show up in public when there is a chance of assasination (but I guess Putin has plenty of enemies so it makes sense 🤣),

            Of course he does: he’s a ruthless dictator. What do you expect? The dynamic has always been the same for people like that; Stalin, Hitler and Sadam each dealt with the same problems.

            poisoning and killing anyone who doesn’t show 100% loyalty to you

            If you’re a dictator, a lack of 100% loyalty implies you’re dealing with someone who would try and kill you if given the chance.

            In the dictator’s regime, this isn’t cowardice; it’s survival.

            and even jailing and using excessive force against protestors for simply appearing upset.

            Again, he’s a dictator and a fascist. There’s nothing out of the ordinary here for someone who chooses to play that role.

            At this point I am curious how this ends for him and Russia, but I am sure it won’t end well.

            Well, yeah. The entire world is against what he’s doing.

            Putin is just a dictator. You can’t survive as a dictator without doing all of these things that you’re associating with cowardice.

            But that’s the thing: we’re talking about someone who would laugh if he was called a coward. He doesn’t care what you think.

            But if you want to pretend that you’re a part of a country that holds a moral high ground above Russia’s dealings, you have that right in a non dictatorship.

            The US government has been involved in and supported some of the most haneous shit you can imagine.

            Yes, Putin is a scumbag. If you’re going to criticize someone, though, you should do it in a way that actually makes sense.

            Otherwise, you’re just a part of the media mob circlejerk.

    • Flipht@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      Ultimately, it doesn’t matter who wins or loses this battle. Either way, Ukraine wins.

      Wagner was the only Russian force I regularly saw succeeding in the headlines. Without them bolstering the Russian military and in fact detracting from and wasting the resources of the Russian military, the whole house of cards is going to start falling.

      • MiddleWeigh@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        Yea I’m not too in the loop on this topic, but following, and I’d like to think I understand people, especially bad people, and if anything this just acts as a destabilizer for putins power consolidation, and that is good for Ukraine regardless whether both parties are pos, which they are.

        • damnYouSun@sh.itjust.works
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          1 year ago

          The thing that’s worth thinking about is that most of the Russian people can’t really resist Putin because the military are all on his side and put down protests.

          But if the military would have switched sides they’d be far less inclined to put down protests against Putin. Theoretically this could lead to a full on Rebellion.

          • MiddleWeigh@lemmy.world
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            1 year ago

            I’m wondering if and how things will change when it gets to their door step, as far as the Russian people vs Russian military dynamic goes. I’m not gonna pretend im in the know, culturally, and all the nuance, but I’m learning more following the story. Thanks for that insight.

  • zeppo@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    Who is rasputin in this new scenario? I would think he is at least 25k IG followers

  • SmokumJoe@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    This is my first comment on the first post I opened up since finding and immigrating a few minutes ago.

    Men who send other men to die for shits and giggles deserve to experience every death firsthand themselves, over and over again

    • brain_in_a_box@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      I too believe that every westerner who voted to support their wars of aggression to be tortured to death.

        • brain_in_a_box@lemmy.world
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          1 year ago

          A lot of people here apparently upset at the idea of being held to the same standard as they have for others.

          • Eldritch@lemmy.world
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            1 year ago

            No. You’re just being hypocritical and extremist. They want the people responsible to face consequences. You want those who voted regardless of circumstances to be tortured to death. There’s a slight difference.

            Now I’d definitely argue that westerners should be more exposed to the results of their leaders policies. Just like Russia’s citizens should. But why would you wish death on a group of people with many likely allies for yourself.

      • Temple Square@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        I don’t approve of his Gitmo torture policy. But I’m itching for that upperclass tax cut!!!

        (Votes Bush)

    • Joncash2@lemmy.ml
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      1 year ago

      I would say high. It appears Progozian is saying this is all Shoigu’s fault and Putin needs to replace him with Progozian. I imagine they’ll use this as an excuse to retreat from Ukraine and sacrifice Shoigu as the reason for the invasion.

      Honestly, if this gives the Ukrainian’s their land back and peace I’m all for it. I care less about the evil of the world getting their cumuppance rather than the innocent getting to live happily.

  • BudZombie@kbin.social
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    1 year ago

    Damn the rest of the world been so afraid to do this and Wagner just swooped on in and took it… lmao

    • BathtubJoe@kbin.social
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      1 year ago

      I mean, a state actor making an offensive move on Russia is a very different thing than a mercenary group doing the same. I’m not sure that “afraid” is the word I would use here.

      • sorenant@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        The Pentagon is located in Arlington, it’s a meme that when some hot shit happens and they have to do overtime they will order a lot of pizza from nearby stores.

  • marsokod@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    Ok, I have a huge and unlikely bingo card: what if Lukashenko is now allied with Prigozhin and is using that to take control of Russia and finally complete his dream of ruling the USSR again?

  • jerome@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    Update: Wagner is claiming control of a Military HQ and an airfield in Rostov, Russia. Demanding an audience with the top 2 Russian military heads. He demands that the two leaders BE BROUGHT TO HIM or he will continue to hold the HQ… It may be a while before we get another update.

  • tl;dr bot@lemmy.worldB
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    1 year ago

    tl;dr:

    Vladimir Putin made an extraordinary address to the nation on Saturday morning admitting that he was facing an armed insurrection led by former confidante Yevgeny Prigozhin and his Wagner mercenaries. After months of feuding between the mercenary boss and Russia’s Defense Ministry, things came to a head Friday when Prigozhin accused the Russian military of ordering a rocket strike on a camp full of his men, and vowed merciless revenge. Within hours, the Prosecutor General’s Office announced charges against Prigozhin for attempting to incite an armed rebellion, a crime that carries a maximum penalty of 20 years behind bars. Prigozhin showed no sign of backing down, instead releasing a series of audio messages via his press service late Friday in which he accused the Defense Ministry of deploying fighter jets to shoot at Wagner vehicles in the Rostov region and of firing at civilians on Russian territory. While the drama between Moscow and Prigozhin played out, Ukrainian officials announced Friday their forces had retaken eight villages from Russian control as part of their first counteroffensive.


    I am a bot in training. Feedback

  • saucyloggins@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    Let’s release a bunch of people we imprisoned and then send them to……. a mercenary group? I’m sure they’ll be veeeery loyal.

    If they’re able to pick up Russian soldiers as they go things could steam roll quickly. Otherwise it will at least be a massive distraction for Russia while Ukraine recovers territory.

  • LostCause@kbin.social
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    1 year ago

    I don‘t think this guy in charge of Russia or their army would be any good either, but I hope he could at least make some more Russians question the current course.