Wager Group Head Yevgeny Prigozhin Issues Dire Warning That Russia is on the Verge of Civil War:
This coming June 16 will mark the official centennial anniversary of the end of the Russian Civil War, a conflict that resulted in the deaths of some five million individuals – and which at various points drew in more than a dozen nations including the United States, Great Britain, Germany, France, Poland, and Japan.
The bloody conflict began following the Bolshevik-led October Revolution of 1917 that overthrew the Provisional Government of the Russian Republic that resulted from the February Revolution that saw the downfall of the century’s old monarchy.
A Russian Civil War Thanks to Ukraine War?
Russia could now be on the verge of a new revolution warned Yevgeny Prigozhin, head of the Wagner Group paramilitary force that has been engaged in the fighting in Ukraine.
The mercenary chief said this week that goal of demilitarizing Ukraine has failed and that the Kremlin’s troops are now unprepared to resist the forces loyal to Kyiv. Moreover, Ukraine’s military has only become stronger and more powerful with Western weapons and training.
In an interview with pro-Russian military Konstantin Dolgov earlier this week, Prigozhin stated, “I believe Ukrainians today are one of the strongest armies in the world,” and he further described Kyiv’s forces as “highly organized, highly trained and their intelligence is on the highest level, they can operate any military system with equal success, a Soviet or a NATO one.”
He also suggested that instead of demilitarizing Ukraine, the “special military operation” has only served to militarize Kyiv.
Russia on the Brink
Prigozhin also acknowledged that Mosow lost more than 20,000 men in the battle for Bakhmut and that about half of those who died attempting to take control of the Eastern Ukrainian city were Russian convicts that had been recruited since the start of the conflict just 15 months ago. The numbers are in stark contrast to the official figures released by the Kremlin.
Moreover, the failures in Ukraine could plunge Russia into turmoil similar to that of the 1917 revolutions, especially since Ukraine is preparing its own counteroffensive that is likely aimed at pushing Russian troops back to the 2014 borders – before Russia annexed Crimea.
Prigozhin also suggested that the optimistic view within Russia that the West will grow weary of the war, and that China could broker a peace deal is unlikely to come to fruition.
“Most likely of all, this scenario will not be good for Russia so we need to prepare for an arduous war,” he said in the interview, which has been posted on the Telegram social messaging platform. “We are in such a condition that we could f—– lose Russia – that is the main problem … We need to impose martial law. We unfortunately … must announce new waves of mobilization; we must put everyone who is capable to work on increasing the production of ammunition.”
The mercenary group head also offered an even more ominous outlook, “Russia needs to live like North Korea for a few years, so to say, close the borders … and work hard.”
Targeting the Wealthy Elite
Just as the February Revolution in 1917 was directed at the elite in Russia, who were detached from the plight the people faced during the First World War, today’s current wealthy elite are increasingly out of touch, Prigozhin’s further warned.
“The children of the elite shut their traps at best, and some allow themselves a public, fat, carefree life,” Prigozhin said in the interview. “This division might end as in 1917, with a revolution — when first the soldiers rise up, and then their loved ones follow.”
The cross-border raids that were conducted by pro-Ukrainian anti-Putin Russians earlier this week also indicated the failures of the Russian leadership, Prigozhin noted, while also adding that Russian Minister of Defense Sergei Shoigu – whom the mercenary leader has engaged in a very public feud – should be sacked and replaced.
“I love my motherland, I serve Putin,” said Prigozhin. “Shoigu should be judged and we will fight on.”
Author Experience and Expertise:
A Senior Editor for 19FortyFive, Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer. He has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites with over 3,200 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu.
