The Aftermath of the Wagner Group Mutiny: Implications and Intrigue

Former U.S. ambassador to Russia, John Sullivan, warns that Russian President Vladimir Putin cannot allow the leader of the Wagner Group mercenaries, Yevgeniy Prigozhin, to go freely following the recent mutiny that weakened Putin's grip on power. Sullivan suggests that Prigozhin could face other charges and even assassination as a means of ending the threat to the regime. He also highlights the ineptitude of Russia's military and security forces in achieving Putin's goals in Ukraine, and expresses concern that Prigozhin and his cronies may be worse than Putin. Sullivan predicts that Putin will double down rather than step aside, and considers the Russian threat to use nuclear weapons in Ukraine as irrational. He also notes that the Ukrainian counteroffensive's success is uncertain and emphasizes the need for advanced weapons to be shipped to Kyiv.