Thread by @TheStudyofWar

Former Russian officer and ardent nationalist Igor #Girkin claimed that certain members of Russian President Vladimir #Putin’s inner circle may push Putin to end the war in order to depose him. 🧵
https://t.co/N9d5xgsMvA https://t.co/7FiVlBtoMmisw.pub/UkrWar071223

https://twitter.com/TheStudyofWar/status/1679301563569917955

2/ #Girkin claimed that #Wagner Group financier Yevgeny #Prigozhin’s rebellion succeeded, resulting in a power redistribution according to the plans of Prigozhin’s patrons, whom Girkin suggested include...

3/ ...Presidential Administration First Deputy Chief of Staff Sergey Kiriyenko, billionaire and #Putin’s reported personal banker Yuri Kovalchuk, and energy executives Arkady and Boris Rotenberg. isw.pub/UkrWar071223

4/ Girkin claimed that the power structure including Defense Minister Sergei #Shoigu, Moscow Oblast Governor Andrei Vorobev, and Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin has been weakened following the rebellion.

5/ Girkin claimed that members of the “Ozero Cooperative” – an association unifying the dachas of #Putin and several members of his inner circle in Leningrad Oblast – want to oust Putin in favor of one of its own members, such as #Prigozhin or Kiriyenko. isw.pub/UkrWar071223

6/ #Girkin claimed that the “Ozero Cooperative” first aims to sabotage Russian military operations, the defense industrial base (DIB), and control of rear areas to make #Putin realize he must accept defeat in the war.

7/ Girkin warned that the “Ozero Cooperative” members will target the Ministry of Defense, Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev, the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB), and other structures outside the control of the presidential administration.

8/ #Girkin’s claims are likely part of his ongoing effort to diminish Russian political and domestic support for a potential ceasefire in the war in #Ukraine, but his targeting of specific members of #Putin’s inner circle is notable. https://t.co/LKeR2J4SXBisw.pub/UkrWar071223

9/ #Girkin has repeatedly accused #Prigozhin of being part of the faction arguing in favor of freezing the lines in #Ukraine while Girkin has argued in favor of a grinding, protracted war effort, as ISW has previously reported.

10/ #Girkin is most likely attempting to portray #Prigozhin as a direct threat to #Putin’s regime in order to encourage harsher #Kremlin action against Prigozhin and discourage any efforts to freeze the front in #Ukraine.

11/ #Girkin may be trying to discredit Kiriyenko and other claimed #Prigozhin patrons to undermine any support that Prigozhin may have among any possible remaining prominent patrons. isw.pub/UkrWar071223