The secret weapon employed by President Vladimir Putin in his foreign campaigns and efforts to expand his global influence had once presented a formidable display of power and arsenal along the path leading to Moscow, the capital of Russia.
These airborne blades, which once traversed borders, continents, and seas under the cloak of darkness, disseminating Kremlin propaganda and extending its influence, are now perceived by the Czar as daggers piercing his back.
Yevgeny Prigozhin, the mastermind behind the formation, training, and growth of the Wagner Group, had earned the president's trust, emersed in his secrets, and received accolades and titles within the Kremlin's corridors. However, he has now betrayed this trust.
The commander of the Wagner Group, known for supporting various leaders in retaining or attaining power, has set his sights on the Kremlin itself.
This “traitor” has risen in armed rebellion, daring to defy the man with the iron grip, publicly declaring his intentions. Accused of betrayal and facing severe consequences, he even has been granted “clemency,” escaping the death penalty and seeking refuge in Belarus, at least for now.
It is extraordinary when a Russian challenges their own president. Yet, when the challenger is Prigozhin and the incumbent is Putin, the situation is far from ordinary.
It is unprecedented for a president to be threatened by his own chef or to be betrayed by the very person responsible for concocting his enchanting recipes.