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© Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.Putin says he offered Wagner mercenaries option to stay as a single unit
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28 Comments
UChosePoorly
Thuban - your theory doesn’t get any less ridiculous with repetition.
If you or Wagner or Putin want to test your theory, I say go ahead and attack a NATO country and see where that gets you.
Superlib
Yep. It will just be some guy deciding to invade NATO nations on his own with his private army. Nothing NATO can do about it....hands will be tied while they fume at all of their war dead and cities falling to Russian soldiers and weapons while Vlad just shrugs and laughs.
I can see it playing out that way.
Look, I know you need something, anything, to feel like Putin is on top here. But you're starting to get pretty far out there. This isn't a political discussion anymore, it's a psychological one trying to define just how far you need to go to cope with your anxiety over the situation. It's interesting, to say the least, but it's also disturbing at the same time.
Just some guy invadin' NATO...
ok1517
PUTAin needing those mercenaries?
Looks like he is running out of (not only) troops.
But relying on those? He must be so desperate!
Ukraine prevails!
stormcrow
Can you hear the ice cracking, Vlad?
Steven Mccarthy
What a mess . A total shambles someone’s granny used to say about him .!. Must’ve been something in the water he drinks .!. Or just plain ignorance.!.
fallaffel
So, his offer was rejected. And the response, is to whine about it.
wallace
Rumors Yevgeny Prigozhin is dead. No one has seen him for weeks.
lincolnman
What an amazing show of weakness from this so-called "strong man"....
The private Army that revolted against him, killed his troops and shot down his planes, captured a Russian city, and was on the way to Moscow to overthrow him....and what does he do?
He says "no foul" and you can continue to serve or offers them nice accommodations in a neighboring country....
Putin is wetting his pants that Wagner will revolt again and he knows his generals will all sit on their hands like last time as most are all "VIP members" of Wagner...
And this typical ham-fisted Putin attack has to be the most ridiculous...
As if anyone in Russia doesn't know you don't accrue mansions, money, and gold unless you're a Putin crony and he gives it to you...
PTownsend
Only those trapped in pro-authoritarian cults might believe a single word Vlad the Vile says. Putin is among the most dishonest leaders in world history. His 'just looking for Nazis' rivals 'Saddam has WMD' as a big lie.
EFD
I hear Tajikistan is nice this time of year. Maybe Vladie-badie should invest in some real estate?
His time in Russia draws neigh.
TaiwanIsNotChina
Putin doesn't have time for chess as he has to watch out for assassins and try to rescue his country from complete failure. I'm thinking Downfall describes Putin's existence these days.
TaiwanIsNotChina
He also tried to memory hole that Wagner ever existed. I guess this is standard practice in Russia.
EFD
Somebody better tell the widows and parents of the 6 chopper pilots and the crew and staff of the command plane that spiraled to a flaming death! I'm sure Wagner's lack of a "legal basis" will make their widowhood much easier.
EFD
Only in the addled minds of Mini-me’s cult.
In the rest of the world, it continues with slow but steady progress and nowhere are your fascist Ruskies on the offensive.
You need to contact control for new talking points.
EFD
So, one says that a private militia that has “no legal basis”, but which the midget from Moscow graciously allows to exist, might invade a neighboring state on its own and that Russia would have no liability.
Another mischaracterizes normal US troop rotations.
Seems like mini-me minions (the off-brand variant) are floundering after a narrative.
sakurasuki
Putin make compromise and let him alive? He must be scared now. Currently without those mercenaries there will be no progress in his advance in Ukraine.
https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/wagner-forces-not-engaged-ukraine-any-significant-way-pentagon-2023-07-13/
Sven
On a brighter note, it's not all doom and gloom for NATO's "wonder weapons". The Russian foreign ministry issued a statement praising the British Challenger tanks, saying their ability to avoid combat is second to none.
Rodney
Who is smarter? Him or Xi? I would love to see them play chess.
Blacklabel
I’ve heard a lot of the NATO equipment has an “invisibility” capability.
or maybe it just “hasn’t arrived (yet)”
TokyoLiving
*knows, lol!!..
falseflagsteve
What a mess, a total shambles as my dear gran used to say, lol
{it in seems rather lost and not sure of what to do, let’s see eh
Ukrainian Foreign Minster should hold his tongue, not a great idea to wind up those helping you and committed to your cause. Is there Something in the water in that part of the world which causes people to lose their rationale and common sense or are they all just simpletons?
TokyoLiving
Putin know how to do it...