The recent attempted coup by Yevgeny Prigozhin's Wagner Group has sent shockwaves through Russia. It reflects the growing discontent and power struggles within the Russian military. By openly defying President Vladimir Putin and accusing the Russian top brass of attacking their camps in Ukraine, Prigozhin has exposed the internal divisions and lack of unity within the Russian military structure. This coup attempt undermines the cohesion and effectiveness of Russia's armed forces, potentially weakening their capabilities in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
Prigozhin's accusations against the Russian military leadership and his call to join the coup highlight the complex motivations behind Russia's invasion of Ukraine. It challenges the narrative that the invasion was purely a defensive measure or an effort to protect Russian-speaking populations. Prighozhin mentions a deeper agenda within the Russian government, potentially driven by personal interests and power struggles rather than the purported justifications.
Although Prigozhin has taken the act of standing down, Ukraine can use this to assess the morale level of the Russian soldiers relating to the invasion (very low) and if some of them listened to what Prighozhin said about Shoigu attacking Wagner camps in Russia and generally about the true motivations of the invasion, maybe this is the beginning of the end for Russian presence in Ukraine as this could potentially lead to more Russian soldiers listening to the truth and reality and defecting to Ukraine to help halt this attack on Ukraine's sovereignty.
Prigozhin's accusations against the Russian military leadership and his call to join the coup highlight the complex motivations behind Russia's invasion of Ukraine. It challenges the narrative that the invasion was purely a defensive measure or an effort to protect Russian-speaking populations. Prighozhin mentions a deeper agenda within the Russian government, potentially driven by personal interests and power struggles rather than the purported justifications.
Although Prigozhin has taken the act of standing down, Ukraine can use this to assess the morale level of the Russian soldiers relating to the invasion (very low) and if some of them listened to what Prighozhin said about Shoigu attacking Wagner camps in Russia and generally about the true motivations of the invasion, maybe this is the beginning of the end for Russian presence in Ukraine as this could potentially lead to more Russian soldiers listening to the truth and reality and defecting to Ukraine to help halt this attack on Ukraine's sovereignty.
Prigozhin said his aim was to punish Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu after Russian government forces attacked Wagner field camps in Ukraine with rockets, helicopter gunships and artillery.
Gen. Valery Gerasimov, chief of the General Staff, ordered the attacks following a meeting with Shoigu at which they decided to destroy Wagner, Prigozhin said. He said Wagner's forces shot down a Russian military helicopter that fired on a civilian convoy.
If true, this gives Wagner a solid reasoning and a very likely possibility that they will defect to Ukraine, knowing what the Russian army is capable of.
Gen. Valery Gerasimov, chief of the General Staff, ordered the attacks following a meeting with Shoigu at which they decided to destroy Wagner, Prigozhin said. He said Wagner's forces shot down a Russian military helicopter that fired on a civilian convoy.
If true, this gives Wagner a solid reasoning and a very likely possibility that they will defect to Ukraine, knowing what the Russian army is capable of.
Western allies are considering a significant escalation in the supply of military hardware to Ukraine, as Kyiv called for help to “put an end” to the war while chaos unfolds in Russia.
Many state officials in the Russian Federation have become informers for the U.S. intelligence.
Current and former U.S. officials say that despite Mr. Putin’s apparent unchallenged control over Russian society and political life, Russia has emerged as a potentially rich recruiting environment for government officials and others unnerved by the mounting costs of the Ukraine invasion, The Wall Street Journal writes.
Since last fall, the CIA and Federal Bureau of Investigation have used social-media platforms and public appearances to encourage Russians angered by President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine to contact them. The semipublic campaign has borne fruit, CIA officials said this week.
The official declined to provide details of how many would-be Russian agents have contacted the CIA or what information they were in a position to provide, citing operational secrecy. According to gum, the CIA hopes to get information on topics such as Russia’s economy, foreign policy and cyber activities.
Apart from those staying in Russia, an estimated 500,000 or more Russians have fled abroad, where they are easier for U.S. spy agencies to contact.
“We’re looking around the world for Russians who are as disgusted with that as we are,” CIA Deputy Director of Operations David Marlowe said in November. “Because we’re open for business.”
To expand its reach, the department created a Telegram channel on May 13, where it published posts and videos with information about cooperation and instructions for contacting the CIA on Tor, an anonymous encrypted Internet communications tool.
“Are you a military officer? Do you work in the field of intelligence, diplomacy, science, high technology, or do you deal with people who do this? Do you have information about the economy or the top leadership of the Russian Federation? Contact us,” says one of the posts.
If in the middle of the day on May 16, the channel had less than 3,000 subscribers, then by 12.30 Minsk time on May 17 — more than 10,200. And more than 250,000 people watched the first of two videos and a text message.
Daniel Hoffman, a retired CIA officer who served as the agency’s Moscow station chief, said any Russian volunteering to help the U.S. would do so at a time or place of his or her choosing. But the video, he said, helps by “letting them know that we’re here and can securely engage with them.”
That is a “respectful” approach, he said. “It’s designed for people that are on the fence.”
Mr. Hoffman noted that it was particularly important to address the Russians in the run-up to an expected major Ukrainian counteroffensive against Russian military forces on its territory which, depending on its success, could unnerve some Russian citizens further. “You want to be prepared, with your catcher’s mitt, ready to go,” he said.
Mr. Hoffman said that even if the video results in just a single recruit, “that’s a great operation.”
Current and former U.S. officials say that despite Mr. Putin’s apparent unchallenged control over Russian society and political life, Russia has emerged as a potentially rich recruiting environment for government officials and others unnerved by the mounting costs of the Ukraine invasion, The Wall Street Journal writes.
Since last fall, the CIA and Federal Bureau of Investigation have used social-media platforms and public appearances to encourage Russians angered by President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine to contact them. The semipublic campaign has borne fruit, CIA officials said this week.
The official declined to provide details of how many would-be Russian agents have contacted the CIA or what information they were in a position to provide, citing operational secrecy. According to gum, the CIA hopes to get information on topics such as Russia’s economy, foreign policy and cyber activities.
Apart from those staying in Russia, an estimated 500,000 or more Russians have fled abroad, where they are easier for U.S. spy agencies to contact.
“We’re looking around the world for Russians who are as disgusted with that as we are,” CIA Deputy Director of Operations David Marlowe said in November. “Because we’re open for business.”
To expand its reach, the department created a Telegram channel on May 13, where it published posts and videos with information about cooperation and instructions for contacting the CIA on Tor, an anonymous encrypted Internet communications tool.
“Are you a military officer? Do you work in the field of intelligence, diplomacy, science, high technology, or do you deal with people who do this? Do you have information about the economy or the top leadership of the Russian Federation? Contact us,” says one of the posts.
If in the middle of the day on May 16, the channel had less than 3,000 subscribers, then by 12.30 Minsk time on May 17 — more than 10,200. And more than 250,000 people watched the first of two videos and a text message.
Daniel Hoffman, a retired CIA officer who served as the agency’s Moscow station chief, said any Russian volunteering to help the U.S. would do so at a time or place of his or her choosing. But the video, he said, helps by “letting them know that we’re here and can securely engage with them.”
That is a “respectful” approach, he said. “It’s designed for people that are on the fence.”
Mr. Hoffman noted that it was particularly important to address the Russians in the run-up to an expected major Ukrainian counteroffensive against Russian military forces on its territory which, depending on its success, could unnerve some Russian citizens further. “You want to be prepared, with your catcher’s mitt, ready to go,” he said.
Mr. Hoffman said that even if the video results in just a single recruit, “that’s a great operation.”
Look at the total list of publicly known US defectors to Russia. Now look at the list of Russian/Soviet defectors to the US. The fact that there are many, many more Soviet/Russian defectors should tell you something.