CNBC: Wagner soldiers will no longer fight in Ukraine

[Tomconroy]

CNBC reports:

Wagner mercenaries will no longer fight in Ukraine after Prigozhin refused to sign contracts
Wagner mercenaries will no longer fight in Ukraine after the group’s leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin, refused to sign contracts with the Kremlin, the head of the Duma defense committee, Andrei Kartapolov, said Thursday.

Kartapolov said that a few days before the attempted rebellion, Russia’s ministry of defense announced that “all [groups] that perform combat missions must sign a contract” with the ministry, state-owned news agency Tass reported.

Kartapolov said Prigozhin did not sign the contracts and was informed that “Wagner would not take part in a special military operation.”

— Karen Gilchrist


So minus the Wagner army and minus the forces putler has to keep in russia to protect his regime. Hmmmmmmm.

[EYESORE 9001]

1. I hope all eyes are on their whereabouts at all times

I smell something very bad in all of this. I like how this looks, you know, bad for putin, but something devious may be afoot. Consider the players.

[lark]

10. Yeah, I get the same feeling.

I am kin of expecting an attack on a NATO country lauched from Belarus by Wagner to give Putin deniability.

Putin absolutely does not forgive, so that part is a sham for sure.

[Kaleva]

11. Wagner was decimated in the fighting for Bakhmut.

It will take some time for them to rebuild.

Also, it took Wagner months to take the small city of Bakhmut. Attempting anything bigger is out of the question

[pazzyanne]

16. Add me to the list of sceptics. nt

[William Seger]

18. Me too

It's scary watching such an unstable situation, knowing there's no reason to believe anything the principles are saying.

[jcgoldie]

23. Putin has been humiliated

This is not a stunt. He is a dictator whose rule is based on fear and intimidation... no way he could allow his image to be soiled in such a way if he had any control over it.

[Johnny2X2X]

2. This is a big deal

Wagner troops were by far the most effective troops Russia had on their side.

[Easterncedar]

3. Africa, though.

There the atrocities and looting continue.

[jimfields33]

5. I think citizens are going to have to vote in better leaders.

How long does it take to figure out voting for the same election after election is not working. Africa has a plethora of minerals and other important stuff. Africa could be a powerhouse. They just need good leadership.

[Johonny]

7. Belarus may be the target

It's still unclear to me what's going on.

[FakeNoose]

4. We should be cautiously wary of Prigozhin - he really isn't a "good guy"

... even though right now he seems like the better of two evils.

[Tommy Carcetti]

15. He's basically DeSantis to Putin's Trump. nt

[Sky Jewels]

21. Good one.

I like that comparison.

[Lovie777]

6. Gosh...................

I just read that the Wagner group will be absorb in the Russian military and are being sent back to Ukraine

That said, I hope the above is more to the truth.

[Tomconroy]

8. Only those who voluntarily sign contracts.

I don't think their will be many of those

[keithbvadu2]

9. Probably not many after they have seen how Russia supports its own troops.

[Emile]

12. They are still wanted for war crimes!

[DFW]

13. This'll never happen, but my wish, if I find the lamp and the genie is home, is this:

Wagner makes a deal with the west, sends his troops to fight the Russians, in Ukrainian uniforms, and devastates the Russian troops in the eastern Ukraine and Crimea. They already know where the Russians are, what kind of equipment they have, and how well it works.

Tell Prigozhin that if he helps liberate all Ukrainian territory, including Crimea, then any Russian territory he might "liberate" east of the proper Ukrainian border can be the new "People's Republic of Prigozhinia," for all we care. Let Putin eat some of his own medicine for once.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

19. This could backfire, bigly

Someone would have to keep ammunition, food, etc, flowing to Wagner. So I think we would end up supporting this thug, this war criminal. Then, if he's successful, why would he cede this area back to Ukraine? He could keep it and call it Progzhinia. Prigozhin is not someone we can trust.

[Tommy Carcetti]

14. Turns out there are things worse than a Russian prison

Namely being Ukrainian cannon fodder.

[CaptainTruth]

17. Reportedly up to 8,000 Wagner troops in Belarus...

...causing Poland to strengthen their defenses.

From Visegrad:
The State Department just approved Poland’s plan to buy 6 batteries of the Patriot missile defense system

Poland will get 48 launchers, 644 PAC 3 missiles, the Integrated Air & Missile Defense & Battle Command System (IBCS) & related equipment.
-snip-

Poland is also reportedly buying tanks, howitzers, infantry fighting vehicles, helicopters etc but I don't have confirmed details. Sources in Poland say the first US Abrams tanks have arrived.

[Warpy]

20. Well, we already knew that, Prigozhin had withdrawn the ones he had left

I would imagine the ones who took part on the march toward Moscow will get the hell out of Russia, either taking off for Central Africa or South America or anywhere else Putin has sent in little green men to destabilize countries.

Wagner is still very useful. The only question is who they'll take their orders from. Putin, Garasimov, and Shoigu will be tough sells.

Ukaine will be left with Russia's regular army: poorly outfitted, poorly trained, badly commanded, unmotivated and generally unpaid. It's not going to be a cakewalk but they should be easier to dislodge than Wagner forces. Ukraine is already retaking Bakhmut.

[Model35mech]

22. BUT, will they fight in Poland and the Baltic States? or perhaps

in break away Russian Caucuses?