Prigozhin’s death shows that Russia is a mafia state
EconomistAug 24, 2023
Report: Prigozhin Buried Privately in St. Petersburg
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The Facts
Russian state media and the Wagner Group's press service reported on Tuesday that the late paramilitary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin had been buried in a private funeral in St. Petersburg.
Only relatives and friends were reportedly admitted to the farewell ceremony — which was held at the Porokhovskoye cemetery — in accordance with the wishes of his family.
The Spin
Anti-Russia narrative
The likely not-so-accidental death of Prigozhin, weeks after he called off the mutiny in June to protest against the prospect of his Wagner troops being integrated into the regular army, is further proof that Putin ultimately relies on terror to maintain his grip over Moscow. He may emerge stronger in the short term, as his biggest threat has been neutralized, but the Russian state is rotting as never before.
Pro-Russia narrative
Though speculation around the plane crash and the death of its passengers are somewhat natural, the West has utilized it to outrageously wage a baseless smear campaign, blaming the Kremlin for this tragedy. Meanwhile, Russian authorities have already set up a special commission to thoroughly examine the circumstances and determine the cause of the unfortunate accident.
Nerd narrative
There's a 12% chance that Vladimir Putin will declare Martial Law in at least 3/4 of Russia before 2025, according to the Metaculus prediction community.