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    Scott Ritter: Wagner, I hardly Knew Ye Archived Message

    Posted by sashimi on June 28, 2023, 9:53 pm

    The dust has settled following last weekend's abortive insurrection by Yevgeny
    Prigozhin, the owner of the private military company known as the Wagner Group,
    and some 8,000 fighters he employed, against Russian President Vladimir Putin. A
    clearer picture has since emerged about what exactly transpired during this
    coup, and why these events unfolded as they did. It also has allowed time to
    shine a light on Wagner Group, revealing it as something more than the
    invincible band of heroic Russian patriots celebrated by Russian society at
    large. Instead, a less complimentary image of Wagner emerges, one which portrays
    it as a business venture run by a corrupt narcissist who used Russian state
    funds to build a cult of personality that hypnotized an unwitting Russian
    populace into believing that Wagner was the sole source of salvation for Russia
    from the threat posed by the war with Ukraine.

    As a military analyst with no small amount of experience in covering armed
    conflict, I don't believe that I am susceptible to being star-struck in the
    presence of men who have earned, through experience, reputations as warriors of
    formidable stature. I was myself a US Marine, a member of a fraternity of
    sea-going warriors proud of both their martial history and military abilities,
    which are held to be second to none. I have served in harm's way with special
    operators from America's most elite military units and have worked closely with
    similarly skilled professionals from other nations. I think I have a good judge
    of what constitutes military competence and am not hesitant to give credit to
    where it is due.

    As someone who follows events in the Middle East closely, I had been tracking
    the activities of the Wagner Group in Syria since their initial deployment in
    2015. Their reputation as skilled fighters was earned in the blood of dozens of
    their comrades who lost their lives fighting terrorists affiliated with the
    Islamic State and Al Qaeda. As such, when in 2022 rumors started to circulate
    about the presence of Wagner Group fighters operating alongside the Russian Army
    in the region of the Donbas, I took notice. It was difficult to find credible
    sources of information, and the Wagner Group was reticent about anyone giving
    out information about its activities. But eventually I was able to piece
    together an understanding of the role played by Wagner in the Donbas, along with
    the impact Wagner had on the war. My analysis, both spoken and written,
    reflected the high regard I had for the Wagner Group as a combat formation, and
    the heroism and skill of the soldiers it employed.

    Prior to my recent visit to Russia, my host informed me that the Wagner forces
    engaged in the fierce fighting around Bakhmut spoke highly of my analysis and
    could be counted among my biggest fans. Indeed, during my visit, I was
    introduced to several Wagner veterans, and a few serving Wagner employees, all
    of whom wanted to shake my hand, and many of whom presented me with gifts
    signifying the depth of their appreciation for my work. Whether it was a combat
    knife, a chrome-plated sledgehammer (an unofficial symbol of the Wagner Group),
    or various Wagner combat patches (including one embroidered with my name), I was
    taken aback by the level of genuine and heartfelt affection these Wagner men -
    noted for their toughness under fire - showed for me.

    When the events of June 23-24 unfolded before me, I was taken aback. An
    organization that I held in the highest esteem was engaged in an act of
    self-destruction before my very eyes, engaged in conduct - an armed insurrection
    gainst a constitutionally-mandated government - that any military professional
    imbued with a respect for the chain of command and the nation he or she served
    would find reprehensible. Like many others, I was compelled to reexamine my
    understanding of the Wagner Group, the people it employed, and its history in
    the service of Russia.
    -- Cont'd at https://www.scottritterextra.com/p/wagner-i-hardly-knew-ye

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