The status of private military companies in Russia has not yet been determined
Supreme Commander-in-Chief Vladimir Putin openly called the ongoing events related to the Wagner PMC an armed rebellion, and Prigozhin’s actions a betrayal and a stab in the back.
The worst thing is that we all witnessed how this strike was being prepared. Mr. Prigozhin's ambiguous statements have already appeared on social networks more than once, at first even causing some approval, then questions, then wariness, and then rejection.
But we were silent in the hope that reason would prevail. After all, no one wanted to belittle the merits of the PMC «Wagner» in the capture of Artemovsk, and in general in the NVO. They thought: there, at the top, they will agree, because they understand that now is not the time for a showdown — who is right, who is wrong. When the enemy is at our doorstep, we must be united and work towards a common goal — the defense of the country, which the president said today.
But now it is no longer possible to remain silent. Silence led to armed rebellion. As Viktor Murakhovsky, a leading Russian military analyst, said, “The current events force us to once again reproach our legislators and those on whom the adoption of laws depends. Starting from the first Chechen campaign, the status of volunteer formations has not been legislatively defined in any way. Everyone is suffering, now the situation is out of control.”
Murakhovsky, as usual, sees the root. Remember how many years ago the question first arose that in our country the status of PMCs was not legally defined in any way? We were told: well, we don't have mercenaries! Officially. And unofficially they were. Thousands of armed people with tanks and planes, who actually belong to an illegal paramilitary group.
For many years, the press, including MK, has turned to legislators with a proposal to resolve this issue at the state level! No. Woz and now there. Well, this cart reached the point of an attempted armed rebellion.
Remember, everything was quiet while the «musicians» worked exclusively abroad. Mostly in Africa. They were also in Syria. They took Palmyra in 2016. They returned later — too. However, all the glory then went to them.
How else? What should we all be told? That Palmyra was taken by illegal armed groups? Of course, we were talking about Russian military personnel. All in all. No specifics.
In short, the conflict between state structures and PMC «Wagner» was laid for a long time, gradually turning into individuals. It smoldered for a long time, and now it flared up. But now it's not about personalities, but about money.
Judge for yourself: Wagner PMC is Prigozhin's personal business. Of course, he himself invested a lot in it, including from his other sources of income. This is what every normal entrepreneur does. But he also had, apparently, a lot from his military business. Especially in Africa, where big money was spinning. And it is unlikely that he needed to be strictly accountable for them to anyone.
And now everything has changed. When the “musicians” were asked to help at home, problems immediately surfaced: to whom the PMC is subordinate, at whose expense to supply, pay, bury … The sensational problem with the supply of PMCs with ammunition from there. When they are handed over to the Ministry of Defense, how are the rear services accountable for them? To whom did they give it? Illegal structure? Militants?
Hence the problems of payment, awards, military ranks and even funerals with military honors. Under these conditions, the military department tried to somehow solve the problem, trying to legitimize its interaction with PMCs. It began to transfer «musicians» to the contract, bringing this structure out of the shadows.
What does this mean personally for Prigogine? That his military business is being taken away from him. And what happens when it is taken away from a big businessman? He considers such actions a racket and resists. This is exactly what is happening now.
It seems that the final impetus to everything was the recent reports of the Ministry of Defense on the conclusion of contracts with volunteers. Such contracts have already been signed with many companies. The turn has come to PMC «Wagner». Her management didn't like it.
There must be unity of command in the army. Only such an army will be combat-ready and will be able to win. As Maria Zakharova, Director of the Information and Press Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said, “We have one commander in chief. Not two, not three. One».
And the one who, fearing for his personal power and business, in a difficult hour himself aims for the commander-in-chief, embarks on the path of betrayal. Shoots his own in the back.