Faux pas in Kremlin

The short-lived mutiny against President Vladimir Putin has unraveled. It will be accounted for in the footnotes of history as a false-flag operation. The strange manner in which the Russian mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin was seen boarding a jet to Minsk, and being spared by the zealous Russian authorities speaks volumes of a shady deal. Reports say the Wagner boss has opted for exile under the auspices of Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko, whose good office has not only saved the rebel leader from being prosecuted but also the throne of the Czar at Kremlin. This quick-fix episode, nonetheless, has left Putin’s military articulation in the woods, and under extreme pressure to visit his strategy of occupation and warfare in Ukraine.

The deal that saw Prigozhin fly out and his men back to normal business without any retribution has raised eyebrows. There is a rat to smell, and only time will reveal as to what was the intention behind this faux pas operation. To the surprise of Moscow’s mindset, neither any artillery was used during the three days standoff against the mercenaries, nor did the air force fly sorties. Likewise, Putin too played to the gallery and was content with lip-service against his yesteryears’ subordinate who staged an uprising. There is definitely a reason behind it, and it needs to be read between the lines. If Wagner’s contention is to be believed, the root-cause of discord is over the handling of the crisis in Ukraine, and that must be addressed instantly.

The mutiny has exposed the fissures inside the powerful Russian establishment. There is certainly a difference of opinion over the military advancement and subsequent encroachment of Ukrainian territories. Putin can make use of this checkmate to scale down the ladder and offer an olive branch to Kiev. Any attempt to further radicalise the society and push it towards conscription will find little ground to breed. Kyiv is already on a high moral ground after the ignominy in the Kremlin and is rallying world opinion for its cause. Time for Putin to retreat to save the order at home and abroad.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 28^th, 2023.

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