Putin tries to "buy" loyalty of security forces to retain power – NYT
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Valdimir Putin, President of Russia, is trying to win the loyalty of security forces in order to hold onto power. Source: The New York Times Details: NYT recalls that in order to retain power after the rebellion, Putin allowed the Wagner mercenaries and Evgeny Prigozhin, their leader, to "go to Belarus" and showered Russian security forces members with praise and remarked the "decisiveness and courage" of the Russian troops.
Valdimir Putin, President of Russia, is trying to win the loyalty of security forces in order to hold onto power.
There is no evidence that those involved in the rebellion or associates of Prigozhin have been arrested. It is a marked contrast to the aftermath of the 2016 coup attempt in Turkey, when President Recep Tayyip Erdogan emptied his country’s prisons to make room for more than 40,000 detainees.
"Arresting generals "would throw the army into disarray," source of NYT, who has known Putin for decades, said. He chose to remain anonymous, fearing the consequences he may face for discussing sensitive matters.
Quote from NYT: "The apparent caution was yet another indication that Mr. Putin, despite the striking anger he showed over what he called Mr. Prigozhin’s "betrayal," is reaching for a familiar toolbox to maintain power."
More details: Mainly, Putin is raising salaries of soldiers and members of law enforcement. He has also promised to provide more weaponry for one of the most devoted leaders of one of the Russian security services – Viktor Zolotov, head of the National Guard of Russia.
At the same time, supplying the military and security services with more money and power carries certain risks. Some experts suppose that other groupings in these structures may "be tempted" to carry out another rebellion, following Prigozhin’s example.
The analysts also assume that Putin’s new "accent" on an increased loyalty of the security forces may affect Russia’s efficacy in the battlefield: ""If you keep the principle of loyalty as more important than effectiveness, then there won’t be the risks that were associated with the mutiny. But there won’t be any hope for a more effective functioning of the system, either."
Background:
Herewith, as reported by the Russian service of Radio Liberty wth reference to the estimates by the Dutch project Oryx, the Wagnerites had shot down an Il-22M aircraft and six helicopters of the Russian army during the mutiny.
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