This article provides valuable insight into the mind of Yevgeny Prigozhin, former leader of the murderous Russian fighting force known as the Wagner Group. Prigozhin was in the headlines last month when it appeared he might be mounting a campaign to remove Putin from office, but that was quickly dispelled and he was exiled to Estonia or Belarus or some other former satellite country. Now the fighting force is left without a leader and no clear direction, just lots of guns and ammo, a lethal recipe.
Throughout his time in power, Vladdy Putin has permitted rival factions to clash and to fight for his favor, like an infant. In such a political system, no one individual or group can acquire enough independent standing to challenge his rule. Still, Prigozhin managed to ascend from lowly hotdog salesman to the leader of a small mercenary outfit of former professional soldiers. He then managed to transform that fighting force into one of Russia’s most prominent, a private army manned by tens of thousands of killers, most of them recruited from Russian prisons.
But this all evaporated the second Prigozhin moved against Putin, immediately setting himself up for failure. Putin is moving like an injured animal right now; first he got himself into a war he couldn’t reasonably win, and, when he inevitably encountered difficulties, he tried to find a cheap solution by allowing for the creation of an army of criminals, only to wind up losing control of that army and having them turn against him. I’m not exactly sure what’s running through the mind of the bloodthirsty autocrat, but it’s safe to say he’s not up for a challenge at the moment.
Side Items
Those Aren’t Bears: A zoo in Hangzhou, China has denied suggestions that some of its bears might be humans in costumes after photos of the animals standing suspiciously like humans circulated online. The Hangzhou Zoo said on social media that the “sun bears” from “Malaysia” are smaller than other bears and may look different, but the photos paint a different picture. I’m no bear expert, but I know a man in a bear suit when I see one
Angus Cloud & Pee Wee Herman: The actor and comedian Paul Reubens passed away yesterday at the age of 70 after a long, private battle with cancer. Reubens will be best remembered for his decades-long role as the obnoxious Pee Wee Herman, sporting a gray suit that was uncomfortably tight along with white chunky loafers and a big red bow tie. Elsewhere in the entertainment world, the young Euphoria actor Angus Cloud died at the young age of 25. Cloud suffered from depression and recently lost his father, which may have pushed him beyond his breaking point. In both cases, these celebrities struggled with their battles in private. You don’t need to do that, there are people that want to listen to you and support you, I’m one of them