I’ve spent part of the afternoon chasing down some rumors about General Surovikin, the theatre commander for the SMO. It appears to me that these rumors—that Surovikin is under arrest on suspicion of collusion with Prigozhin—originate from predictably Neoconnish or similarly unreliable sources.
Really wild to watch the Surovikin rumor metastasize in real time. From a Ukrainian telegram channel to western legacy media in one day. Amazing efficiency!
Larry Johnson is still inclined (Wednesday, 6/28/23) to believe Prigozhin is a double agent.
He writes
"I think this [a leak to WSJ reporter] Pancevski provides additional confirmation that Prigozhin was acting in concert with Western intelligence operatives. What remains unknown is whether Prigozhin was genuinely cooperating with the West or pretending to spy for the West while actually being controlled by Russian authorities. I continue to believe it is the latter. If Prigozhin committed treason then Putin’s decision to [let him] go unscathed into exile in Belarus sends the message that you can go after Putin and live. That is not being magnanimous, that is madness."
Madness is to persecute the J6ers when in reality it was Pelosi's staged 'insurrection'. Madness is to persecute Trump with never-ending legal actions. Government rules by Law. Creating a disrespect for the Law and even encouraging lawlessness in the cities is not in their interest. Putin is defusing the event and intent on keeping everybody together as much as possible. Madness?
Since this is a Surovikin thread, I'll just say re his "disappearance" that, as theatre commander supervising also Wagner in theatre, I would expect that the FSB would want to talk to him about Prigozhin in great depth simply to get as clear a picture as possible. Surovikin should be one of the key witnesses, at least for background in the investigation.
I agree that Putin's treatment of Prig is strange, but I think Larry is wrong about Prig and Putin being in bed together on this one. Putin loves stability and the rule of law (mostly). There is no way he'd risk staging a psyops that, if it went wrong, could threaten everything he has spent time building up. I'm open to counter arguments, but sometimes the simplest answer is the best one.
Big Serge 
@witte_sergei
Really wild to watch the Surovikin rumor metastasize in real time. From a Ukrainian telegram channel to western legacy media in one day. Amazing efficiency!
4:45 PM · Jun 28, 2023
Larry Johnson is still inclined (Wednesday, 6/28/23) to believe Prigozhin is a double agent.
He writes
"I think this [a leak to WSJ reporter] Pancevski provides additional confirmation that Prigozhin was acting in concert with Western intelligence operatives. What remains unknown is whether Prigozhin was genuinely cooperating with the West or pretending to spy for the West while actually being controlled by Russian authorities. I continue to believe it is the latter. If Prigozhin committed treason then Putin’s decision to [let him] go unscathed into exile in Belarus sends the message that you can go after Putin and live. That is not being magnanimous, that is madness."
https://sonar21.com/more-evidence-that-prigozhins-mutiny-was-backed-by-the-west/
Madness is to persecute the J6ers when in reality it was Pelosi's staged 'insurrection'. Madness is to persecute Trump with never-ending legal actions. Government rules by Law. Creating a disrespect for the Law and even encouraging lawlessness in the cities is not in their interest. Putin is defusing the event and intent on keeping everybody together as much as possible. Madness?
Since this is a Surovikin thread, I'll just say re his "disappearance" that, as theatre commander supervising also Wagner in theatre, I would expect that the FSB would want to talk to him about Prigozhin in great depth simply to get as clear a picture as possible. Surovikin should be one of the key witnesses, at least for background in the investigation.
I agree that Putin's treatment of Prig is strange, but I think Larry is wrong about Prig and Putin being in bed together on this one. Putin loves stability and the rule of law (mostly). There is no way he'd risk staging a psyops that, if it went wrong, could threaten everything he has spent time building up. I'm open to counter arguments, but sometimes the simplest answer is the best one.
But...but...from a 'simple' POV...
Prigozhin apparently did 'talk' to the West...and didn't get prosecuted by Russia for treason...so far.
It is a strange story.
yeah seems like a mud slinging exercise rather than an actual reality