That's the risk one runs when employing mercenaries - many are in it for the money, and will switch side at the drop of a hat for a higher bid, and almost all of them take exception to being used as cannon fodder and being placed in untenable situations where the employer is actually acting against them or firing upon them. Russia has done both to Wagner, and it was a given that eventually Wagner would turn on them. When you tell a unit to "take that hill", and then start peppering them instead of the enemy with mortars, they're bound to get a little miffed.
I don't like Prigozhin, but can't deny that he has a loyal following among the mercenaries, and has more of the hearts and minds of the Russian people than Putin does. It's noteworthy that he is railing against the military hierarchy rather than the government in general - he's threatening the military brass, but not the government in general. He's also hammering against the Ukraine invasion, and Russian sentiment is pretty high against it already, meaning he is ingratiating himself even further into the hearts and minds of Russians.
While Wagner does not have the military strength to take on the entire Russian army alone, Prigozhin DOES have a loyal following amonst the mercenaries and the Russian population, so it's possible to see this going tits-up for the Russian political structure in a heartbeat if they defend their brass too hard against what are to Russians pretty clearly violations of the welfare and interests of the average Russian.
Those folks have a history of throwing revolutions and uprisings, and inviting everyone to play.
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I don't like Prigozhin, but can't deny that he has a loyal following among the mercenaries, and has more of the hearts and minds of the Russian people than Putin does. It's noteworthy that he is railing against the military hierarchy rather than the government in general - he's threatening the military brass, but not the government in general. He's also hammering against the Ukraine invasion, and Russian sentiment is pretty high against it already, meaning he is ingratiating himself even further into the hearts and minds of Russians.
While Wagner does not have the military strength to take on the entire Russian army alone, Prigozhin DOES have a loyal following amonst the mercenaries and the Russian population, so it's possible to see this going tits-up for the Russian political structure in a heartbeat if they defend their brass too hard against what are to Russians pretty clearly violations of the welfare and interests of the average Russian.
Those folks have a history of throwing revolutions and uprisings, and inviting everyone to play.
.