RIP Prigozhin?

The whole Yevgeny Prigozhin affair is very, very strange. Even for Russia. What was he doing back in Russia following the Wagner Group's infamous mutiny - when one of the conditions of his pardon was that he NEVER return to Russia?

His disappearance was fortuitous from Vladimir Putin's perspective. But Putin is nothing if not patient and calculating; and the death of Prigozhin and his chief lieutenants at this time would be so crude and obvious that it's difficult to believe Putin could have seriously considered it, let alone done it. Such a high profile takedown would throw very dark shade on Putin. Something Vladimir Vladimirovich does not like.

Could it have been one of the Western intelligence services? Given his high profile in African geopolitics, and now possibly Niger, Prigozhin would have made himself a bulls-eye for them as well. With the added bonus that his suspicious death would reflect shade back on Putin.

But that raises a question: "How could Western intelligence have penetrated Russian security - which isn't easy - so easily?" Perhaps Ukrainian infiltration into Russia is more serious than anyone suspected? Given the trouble the Wagner Group caused them, it's a sure bet the Ukrainians are celebrating Prigozhin's death.

If... in fact... he really IS dead. There's a question mark there too. Prigozhin is/was a shrewd man, and may have faked his own death for reasons yet unknown.

So friends, we find ourselves in the midst of a modern mystery. A substantial figure at a pivotal juncture in Century XXI has suddenly disappeared from the radar.

We will not see, feel or hear it down here but rest assured a lot will be going on *up there* - in the councils of governments around the World.

Personally, I've kinda' liked Prigozhin. His blunt, realistic assessments and undiplomatic language, in a World where even kids now speak in diplomatese, was refreshing. The Wagner Group's bizarre mutiny and march on Moscow is almost too strange to accept... But it happened. Still, beyond a scintilla of doubt, there was much more going on there than meets the eye; even as Prigozhin's feud with the Russian Ministry of Defense was known to all.

Lastly, the lone female on board, an attendant named Kristina Raspopova, stated shortly before her final flight that the plane, (which was being leased) had a last minute mechanical issue that needed repair: https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/other/flight-attendant-on-prigozhin-s-plane-told-family-of-mystery-last-minute-urgent-repairs/ar-AA1fIO1C

Yep, things change. But some things don't change. And Russia today is still a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma.

Update: Moscow has just confirmed that Prigozhin was in fact on the fatal flight:

https://www.rt.com/russia/581909-prigozhin-death-plane-crash-confirmed/


Fitz