Russia rebellion: Experts divided about Putin’s reputation after Wagner head Prigozhin stands down
Heavily armed Russian mercenaries who advanced most of the way to Moscow began turning back on Saturday, de-escalating a major challenge to President Vladimir Putin’s grip on power, in a move their leader said would avoid bloodshed but, analysts said, left Putin looking diminished.
“I think Putin emerges from this significantly weakened,” Brian Taylor, professor of Russian studies at Syracuse University, said. “I think if you’re a member of the Russian elite, or, in fact, a member of the Russian population, you’re going to look at this and think, ‘Wow, a private army just drove on Moscow for most of the day. No one stopped them and they’re allowed to leave and no real consequences.'”
Plus, an expert on Russia from King’s College in London said on Saturday that it’s too early for Putin to remove Yevgeny Prigozhin as the head of his Wagner Private Military Company (PMC).
Speaking from the German city of Munich, Marina Miron, from King’s College Defence Studies Department, said Putin was likely to come out fairly unscathed from Saturday’s rapid advance on Moscow by the Wagner group fighters, who have since returned to their base.
A deal brokered by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko enabled Prigozhin to move to Belarus in return for his and the fighters’ safety, thus avoiding bloodshed.
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