- Wagner Group chief may have hinted that he plans to challenge Vladimir Putin for the Russian president in 2024
- Yevgeny Prigozhin attempted to mimic Putin's carefully orchestrated public appearances
- Prigozhin criticized the leadership of Vladimir Putin, claiming that certain officials were traitors
Russian analysts say a military warlord has hinted at ambitions to overthrow President Putin.
After Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Yevgeny Prigozhin, the founder of the Wagner Group and a famous personality, has interviewed Russian reporters, which his own Federal News Agency has recently published.
Russian President Vladimir Putin's Replacement
Analysts from the US think tank Institute for the Study of War praised the interview's "unique format" and noted that Prigozhin "seemed to imitate the way Vladimir Putin films his choreographed public meetings, either to mock Putin quietly or to imply subtly that Prigozhin could become Russian president like Putin."
It was believed that Wagner Group's CEO might parody Putin's filmmaking style as part of a bigger trolling effort against the Kremlin or draw implicit similarities between Prigozhin and the Russian president. The report concluded, "Prigozhin's recent behavior - whatever its goal - is furthering a narrative in Russian society that Prigozhin has bigger political ambitions in Russia."
The interview and analysis follow the revelation that Prigozhin, a war criminal with ties to the Kremlin, brought a truckload of champagne to Ukrainian ladies to celebrate International Women's Day.
The tweet claims that Russian forces are on the verge of seizing Bakhmut and that Ukrainian prospects of retaking the territory and wine plant are diminishing. In December, Wagner conquered the Bakhmut Champagne Winery and Siniat business in the city's east, according to Mirror.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has vowed to defend Bakhmut and stated that at a conference with senior generals and commanders, it was determined that "no area of Ukraine can be abandoned."
Moreover, a US think tank asserted that Wagner Group's CEO "may strive to spoof Putin's filmmaking technique as part of a bigger trolling operation."
According to commentators, Yevgeny Prigozhin's comments in an interview with Federal News Agency revealed his intent to oppose Vladimir Putin in the 2024 Russian presidential election.
The Institute for the Study of War stated that the interview was notable for its unique format because "Prigozhin seemed to mimic the way Vladimir Putin films his choreographed public meetings, either to mock Putin quietly or to suggest subtly that Prigozhin could become Russian president like Putin."
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Yevgeny Prigozhin May Challenge Putin For Presidency
The Wagner Group's chief executive officer may intend to spoof Putin's filmmaking style as part of a bigger trolling effort to criticize the Kremlin or draw implicit comparisons between Prigozhin and the position of the Russian presidency, the research tank added.
Per Hindustan Times, Prigozhin has stated in the past that he may succeed Putin. It was a comment that, according to a famous Russian professor with ties to the Kremlin, tacitly encouraged the idea that Prigozhin would run for president of Russia.
In January, Prigozhin lambasted Putin's government, alleging that certain officials were traitors who wanted Russia to lose the war with Ukraine. In addition, he has questioned the Kremlin's claim that Russia is battling Nazis in Ukraine. John Lough, the associate fellow for the Russia and Eurasia Project at Chatham House, reports that Prigozhin is establishing himself as a rival to Putin are baseless rumors.
Dr. Martin Smith, senior lecturer in defense and international affairs at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, stated that Prigozhin intended to wield power from the shadows in the case of Putin's demise. Zelensky has warned that if his country does not win a protracted struggle in the strategic eastern city of Bakhmut, Moscow might begin to garner international support for an agreement that would oblige Kyiv to make humiliating concessions.
Zelensky also invited his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, to visit Ukraine, stating that they had not communicated since the start of the war. In Beijing, Mao Ning, a spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, was asked if Xi would accept an invitation from Zelensky or if one had been officially offered.
She informed reporters that she had no information to provide. She emphasized Beijing continues "contact with all involved parties, including Ukraine."
John Kirby, a spokesperson for the National Security Council of the White House, stated in Washington that the United States welcomes negotiations between Xi and Zelensky. Xi's visit to Russia last week increased the possibility that China may be willing to supply Moscow with the weapons and ammunition it needed to replenish its depleted arsenal, as per Daily Express.
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