Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin released the following video in June on Telegram. I think it is worth revisiting this video. Prigozhin states that entering Ukraine was an invasion based on lies. He believes that the Defense Ministry was in on the cover up, potentially in cahoots with the West, and that they swindled Vladimir Putin into believing his lie.
If you read my book, “The Plot to Seize Russia,” you understand the calculated corruption of the Russian Oligarchs who hoped to use a Western alliance to regain power. Prigozhin states that false intelligence was leaked to Putin, which led him to believe Ukraine was working with NATO, which is true. However, he said that Russian intelligence reported that Ukraine and NATO were planning a direct attack on Russia, which led to the “special operation” on February 24, 2022.
“What was the point of the war? The war was needed for the self-promotion of a bunch of bastards to show off what a strong army it is so Defense Ministry Sergei Shoigu gets a Marshall,” he alleged. Sergei Shoigu has led the Ministry of the Russian Federation since November 6, 2012. Shoigu and Prigozhin have been archenemies, with Shoigu leading from behind the scenes while Prigozhin was on the frontlines with a separate mercenary group. Prigozhin firmly believed that Shoigu needed to be removed from power and believes he failed the invasion of Ukraine. Putin was in the middle of the battle, with both men being personal friends.
However, siding with Prigozhin would mean changing the entire narrative of the February 24 invasion. Declaring Shoigu unfit to lead would weaken the entire military’s image and add to the narrative that the West is decimating Russia. The entire coup by Wagner was to oust Shoigu, not Putin, as he was accused of denying the group ammunition and costing Russian lives. One man said too much, while the other was complacent with the narrative. There is a possibility that a divide within the military would have grown if both men were permitted to live.
