“Even if such fears prove overblown, Wagner’s presence in Belarus has other uses, too. Its wings have been clipped following the rebellion, but the mercenary group still has invaluable experience fighting against a Nato-equipped army in Ukraine, and it is now passing on this experience to Belarusian soldiers. ”
I think this is one of the chief things going on. I think the Belarusian army was supposedly shabby. So, urban warfare experts like Wagner could really help them out, because if a Nato member sends military into Ukraine, it will most probably be Poland.) They apparently have about 300K fresh troops, which Ukraine currently needs more fighting men.
The problem is that no other Nato members really want to take their country to war with Russia, and apparently from polls even most Polish people don’t, it’s just the current leadership and media there are quite hawkish.
Anyway, I think the other reason Wagner is there is that is a perfect solution for Russia, as they are now by law forbidden to exist in Russia. So, keeping a valuable asset like Wagner in existence by putting it in an allied nation that borders your biggest Nato threat was probably seen as a win/win. Strategically that makes a lot of sense.
It also keeps NATO guessing, not least the apparently bloodthirsty Polish army.. of course it also means Wagner is a stone’s throw away from Kyev and that, no doubt will keep the Zelenskyy mob from reducing defence numbers there.
A genius move – which I believe I predicted well before it happened.
In fact I believed the “insurrection” to have been a ruse! Smart cookies dem Ruskies! Mind, it doesn’t take much to outsmart Dopey Joe does it?
Oh, yes. Putin arresting pro-war hawks is a sign of his strength.
As is the firng of several high ranking officers, and the disappearance of General Armagedoon.
As is now almost daily harassing attacks on downtown Moscow.
Yes, Russia is winning…
You DO know that the Arabs always said that during each of their wars with Israel?
Oh, yes. Putin arresting pro-war hawks is a sign of his strength.
As is the firng of several high ranking officers, and the disappearance of General Armagedoon.
As is now almost daily harassing attacks on downtown Moscow.
Yes, Russia is winning…
You DO know that the Arabs always said that during each of their wars with Israel?
The likelihood of NATO joining the war is zero.
The likelihood of the Belarusian army joining the war, or more importantly, having any impact if it did, is zero.
The likelihood of Vagner even having the means to go across the border is zero.
This is just another of Putin’s “ingenious” gambits, like the various poisonings and the attack on Kyiv–that always backfire.
Putin will ever be remembered as “the Father of Ukraine.”
It also keeps NATO guessing, not least the apparently bloodthirsty Polish army.. of course it also means Wagner is a stone’s throw away from Kyev and that, no doubt will keep the Zelenskyy mob from reducing defence numbers there.
A genius move – which I believe I predicted well before it happened.
In fact I believed the “insurrection” to have been a ruse! Smart cookies dem Ruskies! Mind, it doesn’t take much to outsmart Dopey Joe does it?
The likelihood of NATO joining the war is zero.
The likelihood of the Belarusian army joining the war, or more importantly, having any impact if it did, is zero.
The likelihood of Vagner even having the means to go across the border is zero.
This is just another of Putin’s “ingenious” gambits, like the various poisonings and the attack on Kyiv–that always backfire.
Putin will ever be remembered as “the Father of Ukraine.”
Steve White
9 months ago
“Even if such fears prove overblown, Wagner’s presence in Belarus has other uses, too. Its wings have been clipped following the rebellion, but the mercenary group still has invaluable experience fighting against a Nato-equipped army in Ukraine, and it is now passing on this experience to Belarusian soldiers. ”
I think this is one of the chief things going on. I think the Belarusian army was supposedly shabby. So, urban warfare experts like Wagner could really help them out, because if a Nato member sends military into Ukraine, it will most probably be Poland.) They apparently have about 300K fresh troops, which Ukraine currently needs more fighting men.
The problem is that no other Nato members really want to take their country to war with Russia, and apparently from polls even most Polish people don’t, it’s just the current leadership and media there are quite hawkish.
Anyway, I think the other reason Wagner is there is that is a perfect solution for Russia, as they are now by law forbidden to exist in Russia. So, keeping a valuable asset like Wagner in existence by putting it in an allied nation that borders your biggest Nato threat was probably seen as a win/win. Strategically that makes a lot of sense.
polidori redux
9 months ago
“…Indeed, some are concerned that the Law and Justice party — which is practised in the art of stoking fear for electoral gain.”
Like all other political parties everywhere. It is called politics.
I wonder who these “some” are.
polidori redux
9 months ago
“…Indeed, some are concerned that the Law and Justice party — which is practised in the art of stoking fear for electoral gain.”
Like all other political parties everywhere. It is called politics.
I wonder who these “some” are.
martin logan
9 months ago
Relax.
Vagner isn’t going to invade Poland, and the Poles aren’t going to go into action against Belarus or Russia.
This is another of Putin’s pathetic “information operations.” That it has real world significance is belied by the fact that neither Vagner nor the Belarusian army (!) are going to take on the second largest army in Europe. Very few Ukrainians were gung ho for war with Russia prior to 24 Feb 2022. That has changed pretty dramatically, and Putin knows the same thing would happen with Poland.
This certainly does exile Vagner from Russia. A clear plus. But except for that, its only real significance is to still give Putin a sense of agency in a war that is rapidly slipping out of his control.
martin logan
9 months ago
Relax.
Vagner isn’t going to invade Poland, and the Poles aren’t going to go into action against Belarus or Russia.
This is another of Putin’s pathetic “information operations.” That it has real world significance is belied by the fact that neither Vagner nor the Belarusian army (!) are going to take on the second largest army in Europe. Very few Ukrainians were gung ho for war with Russia prior to 24 Feb 2022. That has changed pretty dramatically, and Putin knows the same thing would happen with Poland.
This certainly does exile Vagner from Russia. A clear plus. But except for that, its only real significance is to still give Putin a sense of agency in a war that is rapidly slipping out of his control.
“Even if such fears prove overblown, Wagner’s presence in Belarus has other uses, too. Its wings have been clipped following the rebellion, but the mercenary group still has invaluable experience fighting against a Nato-equipped army in Ukraine, and it is now passing on this experience to Belarusian soldiers. ”
I think this is one of the chief things going on. I think the Belarusian army was supposedly shabby. So, urban warfare experts like Wagner could really help them out, because if a Nato member sends military into Ukraine, it will most probably be Poland.) They apparently have about 300K fresh troops, which Ukraine currently needs more fighting men.
The problem is that no other Nato members really want to take their country to war with Russia, and apparently from polls even most Polish people don’t, it’s just the current leadership and media there are quite hawkish.
Anyway, I think the other reason Wagner is there is that is a perfect solution for Russia, as they are now by law forbidden to exist in Russia. So, keeping a valuable asset like Wagner in existence by putting it in an allied nation that borders your biggest Nato threat was probably seen as a win/win. Strategically that makes a lot of sense.
It also keeps NATO guessing, not least the apparently bloodthirsty Polish army.. of course it also means Wagner is a stone’s throw away from Kyev and that, no doubt will keep the Zelenskyy mob from reducing defence numbers there.
A genius move – which I believe I predicted well before it happened.
In fact I believed the “insurrection” to have been a ruse! Smart cookies dem Ruskies! Mind, it doesn’t take much to outsmart Dopey Joe does it?
Donald Trump couldn’t manage it!
Oh, yes. Putin arresting pro-war hawks is a sign of his strength.
As is the firng of several high ranking officers, and the disappearance of General Armagedoon.
As is now almost daily harassing attacks on downtown Moscow.
Yes, Russia is winning…
You DO know that the Arabs always said that during each of their wars with Israel?
Donald Trump couldn’t manage it!
Oh, yes. Putin arresting pro-war hawks is a sign of his strength.
As is the firng of several high ranking officers, and the disappearance of General Armagedoon.
As is now almost daily harassing attacks on downtown Moscow.
Yes, Russia is winning…
You DO know that the Arabs always said that during each of their wars with Israel?
The likelihood of NATO joining the war is zero.
The likelihood of the Belarusian army joining the war, or more importantly, having any impact if it did, is zero.
The likelihood of Vagner even having the means to go across the border is zero.
This is just another of Putin’s “ingenious” gambits, like the various poisonings and the attack on Kyiv–that always backfire.
Putin will ever be remembered as “the Father of Ukraine.”
It also keeps NATO guessing, not least the apparently bloodthirsty Polish army.. of course it also means Wagner is a stone’s throw away from Kyev and that, no doubt will keep the Zelenskyy mob from reducing defence numbers there.
A genius move – which I believe I predicted well before it happened.
In fact I believed the “insurrection” to have been a ruse! Smart cookies dem Ruskies! Mind, it doesn’t take much to outsmart Dopey Joe does it?
The likelihood of NATO joining the war is zero.
The likelihood of the Belarusian army joining the war, or more importantly, having any impact if it did, is zero.
The likelihood of Vagner even having the means to go across the border is zero.
This is just another of Putin’s “ingenious” gambits, like the various poisonings and the attack on Kyiv–that always backfire.
Putin will ever be remembered as “the Father of Ukraine.”
“Even if such fears prove overblown, Wagner’s presence in Belarus has other uses, too. Its wings have been clipped following the rebellion, but the mercenary group still has invaluable experience fighting against a Nato-equipped army in Ukraine, and it is now passing on this experience to Belarusian soldiers. ”
I think this is one of the chief things going on. I think the Belarusian army was supposedly shabby. So, urban warfare experts like Wagner could really help them out, because if a Nato member sends military into Ukraine, it will most probably be Poland.) They apparently have about 300K fresh troops, which Ukraine currently needs more fighting men.
The problem is that no other Nato members really want to take their country to war with Russia, and apparently from polls even most Polish people don’t, it’s just the current leadership and media there are quite hawkish.
Anyway, I think the other reason Wagner is there is that is a perfect solution for Russia, as they are now by law forbidden to exist in Russia. So, keeping a valuable asset like Wagner in existence by putting it in an allied nation that borders your biggest Nato threat was probably seen as a win/win. Strategically that makes a lot of sense.
“…Indeed, some are concerned that the Law and Justice party — which is practised in the art of stoking fear for electoral gain.”
Like all other political parties everywhere. It is called politics.
I wonder who these “some” are.
“…Indeed, some are concerned that the Law and Justice party — which is practised in the art of stoking fear for electoral gain.”
Like all other political parties everywhere. It is called politics.
I wonder who these “some” are.
Relax.
Vagner isn’t going to invade Poland, and the Poles aren’t going to go into action against Belarus or Russia.
This is another of Putin’s pathetic “information operations.” That it has real world significance is belied by the fact that neither Vagner nor the Belarusian army (!) are going to take on the second largest army in Europe. Very few Ukrainians were gung ho for war with Russia prior to 24 Feb 2022. That has changed pretty dramatically, and Putin knows the same thing would happen with Poland.
This certainly does exile Vagner from Russia. A clear plus. But except for that, its only real significance is to still give Putin a sense of agency in a war that is rapidly slipping out of his control.
Relax.
Vagner isn’t going to invade Poland, and the Poles aren’t going to go into action against Belarus or Russia.
This is another of Putin’s pathetic “information operations.” That it has real world significance is belied by the fact that neither Vagner nor the Belarusian army (!) are going to take on the second largest army in Europe. Very few Ukrainians were gung ho for war with Russia prior to 24 Feb 2022. That has changed pretty dramatically, and Putin knows the same thing would happen with Poland.
This certainly does exile Vagner from Russia. A clear plus. But except for that, its only real significance is to still give Putin a sense of agency in a war that is rapidly slipping out of his control.