PEORIA, Ill. – A local expert on Russian affairs says she has “cautious optimism” about the attempted mutiny by the Wagner Group from the past weekend.
The group, led by Yevgeny Prigozhin on Saturday, captured the city of Rostov and were on its way to Moscow before turning back to avoid bloodshed. Prigozhin said his men were marching to try and remove corrupt and incompetent commanders for botching the war in Ukraine.
“This could go either way. It showed weakness for (Russian President Vladimir) Putin, but it doesn’t necessarily mean anybody better would replace him,” says Angela Weck, Global Education Coordinator at Bradley University.
Weck tells WMBD’s “Greg and Dan” that in terms of replacements for Putin, Prigozhin would be worse because of his push for the usage of nuclear weapons, as well as war crime offenses by his troops.
She says another option would be Russia’s defense minister Sergei Shoigu, who she described as more tactical in his approach to warfare.
Weck says the revolt shows cracks in the image of stability Putin has shown to the Russian people, which has contributed to his popularity in the country. She says that image was created by improving the country’s economy, and showing more strength on a world stage.
“You have this pesky little person in charge of a mercenary group who rolled his forces to 125 miles from Moscow, and all of the Russian people are looking at this saying ‘What’s happening?’ So they’re being forced to reckon that Putin is not the all powerful person he proclaimed to be,” Weck says.
Weck says Putin may try to bring that image of stability back by possibly being more heavy-handed in his approach to Ukraine.
