LongLeftFlank

(rest of strip)

Yeah, it's also possible that Prig isn't the front for a deeper, more complex "elite" conspiracy, that he had simply reached the point where he had nothing left to lose, and that Utkin and the boys went along simply because they were sick of all the BS and well aware military catastrophe in Ukraine is pending.

Ah yes, the guy with the SS rune tattoos. Fighting the ukronazis... Assuming he joins Prig in exile, he should be right at home in 'White Russia'. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaminski_Brigade

Interesting comments here, though source essay is in Russian. Echoes Galeev's views, though somewhat less 'academic': Rest of the summary thread... All the hyper repressions rolled out since Feb. 2022 have actually primed Russians for a national project more aligned with Prigozhin's extreme militarism than Putin's mix, which still finds room for the old elites and market economics. The breaking point for Prigozhin was Putin's orders on June 13 to dissolve Wagner Group into the army by subordinating volunteer units to the Defense Ministry. Baunov describes Prigozhin's evolving role as Kremlin outsourced 'dirty worker', to invasion figure, to public figure scoring political successes. An erstwhile goal to become Putin's heir led him to target Shoigu, who then enjoyed that spot. Baunov says that Prigozhin's goal after starting the armed insurrection became to win emergency powers from Putin without formally removing him from office: to replace him, not merely displace him (Putin is too sacred actually to remove. Tis a story as old as time: hardened, emboldened men returned home from the front to find what they feel is an ungrateful nation. Baunov says Prigozhin's long interview on the eve of the insurrection, where he trashed the invasion's planning and rationale, was actually an offer to Putin to "march" with him and pin it all on Shoigu and other elites. Putin didn't take the deal. What happens now w Russia's War Party is unclear. Prigozhin decided to convert his battlefield credibility into political clout w/o waiting for the war to end, knowing how the Kremlin likes to bump off its wartime assets once they're no longer needed. Monopoly on violence, RIP. The punchline for Galeev's latest thread here, for those interested.... Heavy hangs the head that wears the crown...

Yeah, Western Putinoids are already spinning this as a nefarious plot by the "Five Eyes". How else can they possibly make sense of it? **** "Hey, ya forgot to turn off the World!"*

Rostov is very multiethnic, based on the crowd shots. I guess folks from the Caucasus and 'Stans', but also some Middle Eastern migrants, by the look of them. Lots of young guys too, unconscripted and seemingly unconcerned.

https://twitter.com/Osinttechnical/status/1672583669226110977?cxt=HHwWgoC81Yj_mrYuAAAA So I'm wondering how quickly UA could mount a left hook above Kupiansk and unhinge the Russian armies from Svatove down to Rubizhne, liberating another large chunk of northern Luhansk. You've got to imagine the 76th VDV paras fighting in the forests around Kreminna will withdraw, either to fight Prig or to join him. So where does that leave the rest, all but cut off from their LOCs?

But if they simply get to Tula, or already have a foothold there, as one of your earlier posts rumoured.... https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/106th_Guards_Airborne_Division Galeev is one of those dismissive of Prig's chances of taking power, but his thread on Wagner is still interesting. The Wagnerites have deep ties to the elite RA formations that have been the worst battered in this war. Galeev: Observers describe Wagner as a mercenary army. But the truth is: all of the Russian army is a mercenary army. "By the third winter, the boots wore out"

When, when will it be, this Collapse of which you have spoken? (Did you bring the picnic basket?)

Brod got ya covered...

OK, 'Russian fatalism' just jumped the freeking shark.... (wtf? it's 'Comfortably Numb' in Russian, no lyrics, no video)

We knew you were inplacable and unforgiving, but Phil Collins is sheer barbarism, beyond the Pale and contrary to all the customary usages of war! ...I mean, if you *must* associate Genesis band members with Wagner PMC....

Well the Mosculs definitely bombed the oil depot at the Voronezh airport. And they seem to be organising a defence line at the Oka river. Beyond that, situation not entirely clear.

There ya go.

What's Russian for 'schadenfreude'? Also, a lot of military aged civvies in that clip. Press 'em, Prigo.... Oops, and the Rostovytsi may have a point....

Is it just me, or do the recent video clips and still photos of Budanov look somewhat altered? @Kinophile, as someone in the business do you have a thought on what might be going on here? I know RUsimps are trying to push the line that he and Zaluzhny were killed or injured in (separate) missile strikes and are being deepfaked to cover it up. But something just looks... off. And it isn't just this one video.

Alperovitch reads similarly, many thanks.

Welp, one fewer for the AFU to worry about for a bit. Get to da choppa! If this nice friendliness would spread around Mordor.... Oh, wait.