Is Local 'Prigozhin' Threatening Lukashenka?

The dictator has reason to worry.

Mikalai Karpenkou wants to separate the internal troops and create troops like Rosgvardia.

The media recently reported that Deputy Interior Minister Karpenkou is trying to lobby for reform.

"Relations between Minister Ivan Kubrakou and his deputy Karpenkou are becoming unbearably bad — Karpenkou plans to separate the internal troops from the Ministry of Internal Affairs into troops like Rosgvardia. The fact that Lukashenka did not retire Karpenkou in September indirectly indicates further plans for this person," said a source from the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

Recently, there have even been rumours on Telegram channels that Karpenkou may replace Kubrakou as the head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

The UDF website explained why Lukashenka should be worried about the strengthening of the role of the internal troops commander.

Karpenkou is increasingly reminiscent of Prigozhin, who led a rebellion in Russia

Karpenkou's rapid career rise was due to his public and radical actions during the 2020 protests in Belarus. With all the mass violence against civilians, who else among the security forces besides Karpenkou so openly violated the law showing his face? Recall that at that time the head of GUBOPiK (The Main Directorate for Combating Organized Crime and Corruption of the MVD of the Republic of Belarus - Ed.) without any hesitation broke the window in a cafe on Pobediteley Avenue.

Having received gratitude from Lukashenka in the form of appointment to the post of Deputy Minister-Commander of the internal troops, Karpenkou continued his public activity and demonstration of his ambitions.

The security officer regularly shines on television, giving interviews to Azaronak and other propagandists, and is engaged in the creation of the sixth new special forces unit – with the help of Wagner PMC instructors.

In other words, Karpenkou is becoming more and more like Prigozhin. Meanwhile, the latter's ambition, despite his initial loyalty to Putin, led the founder of the Wagner Group to rebellion.