The Business Press – June 27, 2023 at 10:40AM
President Joe Biden has denied any allegations that the West played any role in the recent mercenary rebellion in Russia, led by the Wagner Group mercenaries and their leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin.
He said that it was too soon to make any firm conclusions about the revolt, and cautioned against predicting that Putin would be weakened by it. Several U.S. and allied officials have expressed their concern that the insurrection could lead Putin to tighten his grip on power and escalate the conflict in Ukraine, in a way that would trouble members of the Russian elite pushing for a quick resolution.
Despite this, several officials also noted that the mutiny has caused cracks to emerge in Russian support for the war, which could present a huge strategic opportunity for Ukraine. Meanwhile, the international community remains concerned about the security of Russia’s nuclear arsenal and how Putin plans to use it if pressure on him builds.
The main question is what will happen to the Wagner mercenaries responsible for some of the worst atrocities in Ukraine, who are headed to Belarus after that country’s leader, Alexander Lukashenko, forged an agreement with Putin to allow the mutinous forces to retreat with no immediate consequence. As the situation remains unclear, it is difficult to predict the long-term effects of this weekend’s events.
The Business Press 