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2023-02-14 Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia
Putin pulls Wagner Group troops' from Ukraine
[Daily Mail, Where America Gets Its News] Vladimir Putin is pulling mercenaries from Russia's notorious Wagner Group out of Ukraine over fears from the Kremlin that they are becoming 'too powerful', reports say.

The squad, which consists of 50,000 troops, have been a key part of Russia's horrific invasion of Ukraine - fighting in the east of the war-torn nation.

The Russian President, Putin, reportedly became more concerned about his own position before the demotion of Wagner, founded by Yevgeny Prigozhin - which recruits many convicted criminals - was ordered.

Prigozhin has halted in the recruiting of prisoners and he will withdraw soldiers in the next few weeks, sources reportedly claimed.

But these soldiers will reportedly be replaced by up to 300,000 regular Russian troops to fight in Ukraine.

While Prigozhin and Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov are allies of Putin, they are said to be becoming increasingly more powerful.

Both them, as well as Russian General Sergey Surovikin - who was recently demoted - are also suspected as possible plotters against Putin, the Mirror reports.

Russia expert Bruce Jones told the paper that President Putin and Prigozhin have been 'very close contacts and allies for decades'.

He added: 'This appears to be a parting of the way after Prigozhin had been openly critical, even abusive to senior military figures in the regular forces.'

He added that his criticism of the conduct of Russia's regular armed forces and their leaders was an implied slight against the Russian President, 'who now sees him as a potential rival'.

'We see no sign whatsoever that [Russian] president [Vladimir] Putin is preparing for peace ... What we see is president Putin and Russia still wanting to control Ukraine', he said, almost one year after Moscow launched the war in February 2022.

'We see how they are sending more troops, more weapons, more capabilities.'

Russia is widely thought to be planning a major new offensive to regain momentum in the war, which has been in a stalemate since Ukraine's counteroffensives last year that recaptured vast swathes of its territory.

Ukraine says it needs main battle tanks, fighter jets and long-range missiles to counter this and to recapture more of its lost territory.
Posted by Fred 2023-02-14 00:00|| || Front Page|| [11136 views ]  Top
 File under: Tin Hat Dictators, Presidents for Life, & Kleptocrats 

#1 Always "mercenaries", very effective fighting professional force. Totally patriotic to the motherland. Where is your Mozart?. Western media is unaware of this. I give little thought to this western news source. "Notorious" but extremely effective. All the west can do is operate their psychological Operations.
Posted by Dale 2023-02-14 04:16||   2023-02-14 04:16|| Front Page Top

#2 This doesn't sound like Russia at all. If Putin were genuinely concerned about Wagner he just order them to conduct a few suicidal attacks. Kill a bunch off, then blame Prigozhin.
Posted by Angstrom 2023-02-14 08:34||   2023-02-14 08:34|| Front Page Top

#3 
Posted by ACA JOE 2023-02-14 11:45||   2023-02-14 11:45|| Front Page Top

#4 Calling this one as #fakenews. MI6 has it wrong. Only the Brits are reporting this arc: British Soap Opera. There might be a rotation planned after Bakhmut falls, like how Wagner got a break after Mariupol. But a demotion plz, b/c Putin "became more concerned about his own position" - that's a silly statement, laughable.
Posted by mossomo 2023-02-14 12:56||   2023-02-14 12:56|| Front Page Top

#5 If they're so powerful, why aren't they winning?
Posted by Abu Uluque 2023-02-14 13:30||   2023-02-14 13:30|| Front Page Top

#6 If they're so powerful, why aren't they winning?

Cause there are Charlie Sheen winning
Posted by M. Murcek 2023-02-14 13:31||   2023-02-14 13:31|| Front Page Top

#7  If you guys had been observing Russian state TV, you would know Putin and Shoigu are done with Prizghorin( Wagner's owner).

Shoigu has his own mercenary group "Patriot PMC" which will now be in the ascendancy.

Priz might get "killed" in the Donbas, that remains to be seen.

I doubt Putin orders Wagner out, he more likely will allow them all to be massacred to rid himself of them without him lifing a hand. Like King David got rid of Uriah the Hittite( or so David thought).

In the meantime, Russians with brains are fleeing Russia asap:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/02/13/russia-diaspora-war-ukraine/
Posted by Flater Forkbeard8651 2023-02-14 13:44||   2023-02-14 13:44|| Front Page Top

#8 So it is your belief that Wagner and Patriotic are Mutually Exclusive. Are you sure that's not fan fiction you're writing?


Observing RT.com today 2/14

The head of Russia's Wagner group says his fighters have taken the Donetsk Republic village of Krasnaya Gara. A key foothold near Artyomovsk, also known as Bakhmoot, which the Ukrainians have been fiercely defending for months...


Observing TASS today 2/14

MOSCOW, February 14. /TASS/. The situation in Artyomovsk (Ukrainian name - Bakhmut) is not such that Russian forces can "take it tomorrow," because the Ukrainian army brings in new reserves, the founder of PMC Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, has said.
Posted by mossomo 2023-02-14 14:06||   2023-02-14 14:06|| Front Page Top

#9 I don't like major league baseball. This inside baseball stuff makes me want to read a Bronte sisters novel, right before I kill myself.
Posted by M. Murcek 2023-02-14 14:07||   2023-02-14 14:07|| Front Page Top

#10 
Posted by Flater Forkbeard8651 2023-02-14 14:13||   2023-02-14 14:13|| Front Page Top

#11 Some articles are saying that Wagner will transfer operations to Africa where they can make money exploiting resources for Prigozhin and Putin. Back to 2021. That puts the convicts in a precarious situation and I guess that the remaining 10,000 or so will be burned up in futile Donbass offensives.

PMC Patriot (Shoigu's Wagner Mini Me) is now recruiting from prisons but I don't think he has the stomach to be as brutal as the sociopath Prigozhin.
Posted by Thruter Gloluger6393 2023-02-14 18:34||   2023-02-14 18:34|| Front Page Top

#12 Quoting TASS and RT, now that instills confidence in your conclusions.
Posted by AlmostAnonymous5839 2023-02-14 18:34||   2023-02-14 18:34|| Front Page Top

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