[Mick]

You can't really trust much of what Prigozhin says. But still would be pretty funny if this became an excuse for Putin to get rid of what's becoming a rapidly less useful pawn now that Wagner is a spent and perhaps soon to be encircled force in Bakhmut.

I would trust basically none of what Prigozhin says. I wouldn't be surprised at all if he was playing both ends against the middle in Ukraine and would sell out his "guys". I also wouldn't be at all surprised if Ukraine "leaked" something that might get him killed. Putin doesn't need an "excuse". What he DOES need is something in the Russian pro-war blogosphere that makes him look good. Not sure what that might be, but that is what he needs.

Do you think defense minister Sergei Shoigu is essentially in the same boat? He's in Putin's inner circle, and he's the guy who should be supplying the arms. How much of the ordnance budget do you think he's stolen, and how likely is it that he should really stay away from high buildings with windows that open?

Separately, how odd is it that a former caterer ended up in charge of a Russian paramilitary group?

[Mick]

You can't really trust much of what Prigozhin says. But still would be pretty funny if this became an excuse for Putin to get rid of what's becoming a rapidly less useful pawn now that Wagner is a spent and perhaps soon to be encircled force in Bakhmut.

I would trust basically none of what Prigozhin says. I wouldn't be surprised at all if he was playing both ends against the middle in Ukraine and would sell out his "guys". I also wouldn't be at all surprised if Ukraine "leaked" something that might get him killed. Putin doesn't need an "excuse". What he DOES need is something in the Russian pro-war blogosphere that makes him look good. Not sure what that might be, but that is what he needs.

Do you think defense minister Sergei Shoigu is essentially in the same boat? He's in Putin's inner circle, and he's the guy who should be supplying the arms. How much of the ordnance budget do you think he's stolen, and how likely is it that he should really stay away from high buildings with windows that open?

Separately, how odd is it that a former caterer ended up in charge of a Russian paramilitary group?