Former Russia diplomat: Prigozhin should be very ‘concerned about his life’

A former Russian diplomat said in an interview that Wagner Group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin should be very “concerned about his life” despite a reported deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin to end his rebellion against Moscow’s military leaders.

Boris Bondarev, who left his position at the United Nations last year in protest against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, told Australian media outlet ABC that Wagner’s short-lived rebellion significantly damaged Putin’s grip on power.

“It damages Putin’s image as a decisive [leader] who might crush anybody,” the former diplomat told ABC in an interview published Monday.

“So I believe that Prigozhin has a lot of reasons to be very much concerned about his life now because I don’t think Putin may easily forgive this,” he added.

Bondarev, who referred to Russia as a fascist state, noted that few people in high places dare to openly challenge Putin, calling Wagner’s rebellion an “experiment.”

“When Mr. Prigozhin did this, we understand that he lacked goals,” Bondarev said. “He didn’t really understand what he was going to do. That’s why he had to turn away, but if he had had vision … another situation would have unfolded very differently.”

Prigozhin urged an armed rebellion over the weekend to oust Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, also challenging Russian President Vladimir Putin’s justification for the country’s ongoing war with neighboring Ukraine.

Prigozhin eventually ordered his private army to stop its advance after reaching an agreement brokered by Belarus, in which charges against him for leading an armed rebellion were to be dropped and he would relocate to Belarus.

However, it’s largely unclear what’s next for Prigozhin or his army and President Biden said Monday the ultimate outcome of the schism remains to be seen.

Prigozhin said in an audio file posted on his Telegram channel on Monday that there was public support for his march on Moscow.

“We started our march because of injustice,” Prigozhin said. “We did not have the goal of overthrowing the existing regime illegally.”

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