According to The Telegraph, Russian dictator Vladimir Putin made a fatal mistake when he entrusted control of the situation in Syria to mercenaries from the Wagner PMC.
Points of attention
- Dependence on mercenaries caused Putin and the Bashar Assad regime to lose control over the situation in Syria.
- The use of mercenaries in public policy is a dangerous experiment that can lead to unexpected consequences.
Wagner PMC actually framed Putin
Journalists draw attention to the fact that on November 27, Syrian rebels launched an offensive against the Bashar Assad regime in Syria.
It culminated on December 8, when the opposition captured the capital Damascus and overthrew the Kremlin-backed dictatorship in the region.
Despite the fact that Russian soldiers supported the Assad regime, they were unable to stop the active offensive of the rebels.
What is important to understand is that this was not a conscious choice for the illegitimate President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin. The point is that he placed his trust in the Wagner Group, a private military company that has become Moscow's main ground force in Syria.
Analysts believe that it was the dependence on mercenaries that doomed Bashar Assad's regime to destruction, and Putin to the loss of Syria.
This is a lesson for all governments: mercenaries are not a reliable tool of public policy.
What is known about the Wagner Group?
It was created by Russian oligarch and former Putin aide Yevgeny Prigozhin 10 years ago.
The PMC first became known after Russia's occupation of Ukrainian Crimea and intervention in Syria.
What is important to understand is that it was the “Wagners” who gave Moscow the opportunity to avoid direct responsibility for its aggressive actions.
But motivated by profit, the Wagner Group demanded a share of Syria's oil revenues in exchange for saving the Assad regime. This strengthened PMC owner Yevgeny Prigozhin, but sowed internal conflicts.
Last year, the Wagner Group entered the war against Ukraine on the side of Russia under the leadership of Prigozhin.
It helped the Russian army capture the city of Bakhmut, but suffered heavy losses, which led to an uprising against the Kremlin and Putin.
In June 2023, the mercenaries revolted, took over Rostov-on-Don, and marched on Moscow. Putin granted them amnesty, but Prigozhin was soon killed in a plane crash, effectively eliminating the group.
