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Putin Loses Control of His Warlords
Desperate times, desperate measures
Two days ago, as I was reading a report from the Institute of Study of War, I got stuck at one of their assessments.
“Chechen Republic Head Ramzan Kadyrov claimed that Chechen forces are ready to defend against raids in Belgorod Oblast, likely in part to keep his forces out of combat in Ukraine”.
That is really weird, I thought.
Because a week ago, the Kremlin had ordered the Chechen forces led by Roman Kadyrov to “begin defensive operations in Ukraine following the withdrawal of Wagner Group Forces from Bakhmut”
One war lord, Prigozhin, is withdrawing his troops from the Russian occupied territory. Putin orders the other warlord, Roman Kadyrov, to take up this position. But Kadyrov promises to defend the Russian border instead.
What a coincidence!
Exactly when Putin needed his warlords most, they both pulled the plank out from under him.
There may be 300,000 Russian troops in Ukraine. This is an army that has not been able to win Bakhmut for more than a year, and they look well positioned to lose Bakhmut soon.
The Russian military has not won anything since April last year. It was the Warlord Prigozhin’s mercenaries who…
