'Putin Looks Pathetic'

Prigozhin's mutiny has destroyed a major Kremlin myth.

Putin's second address in 24 hours was not much different from yesterday's: he thanked all the security forces, including the Wagner PMC, and condemned Prigozhin, who had made billions of dollars from state contracts, without mentioning his name.

Politicians and political analysts assessed the president's speeches at the ME's request.

"Putin appeared both angry and desperate. That's the look of a man who has been betrayed by those closest to him," says Dmitry Gudkov, a former State Duma deputy. - In general, judging by the faces of all those present, Prigozhin humiliated them quite badly. In fact, it was not a mutiny but a mafia showdown, with helicopters shot down, pilots killed, two cities seized and the main 'godfather' letting everyone go. In this context Putin looks pathetic".

"The main purpose of today's meeting is closed talks with a wide range of security officials. The main topic is to stop all inter-agency conflicts," says political analyst Aleksandr Morozov. - Judging by Putin's speech, there will be no reshuffle. According to him, the important thing now is to maintain the full unity of all security and law-enforcement agencies. Concentrate on the war and leave all personal conflicts behind".

"Putin has not given Prigozhin any security guarantees, I have not heard him mention his surname. I suspect that after a while, when everyone has had time to forget him, something could happen. Something bad," says political analyst Fyodor Krasheninnikov.

"Putin will not forgive him," concludes Gudkov.

Prigozhin's mutiny has shattered the myth that Putin represents stability and strength, and the search for a successor is probably already under way, says The Washington Post, whose correspondents have spoken to people in Putin's elite.