Between Russians and the Mercenaries
24 June 2023 By Abiodun Kareem Giwa
Belarus' leader Lukashenko and Putin
The development between mercenaries fighting for Russia in Ukraine and the top Russian military leaders was not unexpected. The event in Ukraine is a war and not a disco party. The mercenaries accused Russian military leadership of ordering a rocket attack on its camps. But Russian military leaders said they did not call the raid. However, the mercenaries left their posts, seizing a significant town where Russian forces staged offense against Ukraine and headed towards Moscow for a showdown.
But news reports said they returned 120 miles to Moscow to avoid bloodshed. These reports said the mercenaries fighting under the Wagner Group changed their mind after the Belarus leader's intervention assuring the mercenaries of protection. Who may have ordered the rocket attack on the mercenaries' camps? Could the Russian defense minister have ordered suck an attack against forces helping his country in a war?
Or could the attack be from another source, but the mercenaries have mistaken it as stemming from Russians? There is no responsibility or accusation that the attack may have come from Ukrainians against the mercenaries fighting in Russia's favor. And not from any country supporting Ukraine against Russia. The situation reminds a lesson from Stephen Crane's Badge of Courage about 'war' called various names, including the Red Animal, the Long Serpent, and the Blood Swollen god. It can turn into anything possible in favor or against expectations. It presents soldiers running in the face of fire. It makes people ask why the mercenaries did not thoroughly investigate the attack against their camps before embarking on a march to Moscow and returning after assurance of protection.
There was nothing wrong with seeking protection from one's employer, first from Wagner Group and then Russia. The way the mercenaries did it and made observers talk about mutiny was questionable. And that has caused an erosion of trust between Russia and the mercenaries. The only assurance for the management of the manage of damage is Russia's need for help in Ukraine.
In the most challenging situation, Belarus's leader's intervention is a bulwark for Russia. News reports say the relationship between Belarus's leader and the mercenaries' leader dates back 20 years. And reports say the mercenary leader has traveled to Belarus to meet with Alexander Lukashenko after returning from the march to Moscow.
It is instructive to say the mercenaries turned back from the march to Moscow after they were promised protection by Belarus's leader and not for them to avoid bloodshed. And they possibly realized the impossibility of marching into Moscow with their lives intact. The statement about avoiding bloodshed became necessary to dodge the mercenaries' need to save their lives amid a lack of diplomacy. Of course, the thought about diplomacy does not arise faced with the thirstiness of the Red Animal for blood.
It is about death. And not even people fighting a battle of life and death wants to die, though their preoccupation is a confrontation with death. Aren't they aware the people they have been killing fighting Ukraine and the ones they may likely kill along the way are humans like them? And the mercenaries' leader has been forced into exile in Belarus.
Since the mercenaries' leader has a long-established connection with the Belarus leader, talking to him to investigate whether Russia attacked against it should have been the first step towards addressing the problem. If confirmed, the next should be a demand for protection to continue the fight against Ukraine. Jumping on the road to Moscow has destroyed the trust they need for the devilish duty they have imposed on themselves.
Now, Moscow will only tolerate them for its own need. And Putin is clear that the mercenaries' decision is an act of betrayal, likens it to treason, and promises a brutal punishment for the organizers. They have alerted the Russians to make Moscow a fortress against all attacks. The Russians will also investigate the source of the attack on the mercenaries. The public awaits the truth about the mercenaries' alleged Russian aggression and the Russians' denial.
But news reports said they returned 120 miles to Moscow to avoid bloodshed. These reports said the mercenaries fighting under the Wagner Group changed their mind after the Belarus leader's intervention assuring the mercenaries of protection. Who may have ordered the rocket attack on the mercenaries' camps? Could the Russian defense minister have ordered suck an attack against forces helping his country in a war?
Or could the attack be from another source, but the mercenaries have mistaken it as stemming from Russians? There is no responsibility or accusation that the attack may have come from Ukrainians against the mercenaries fighting in Russia's favor. And not from any country supporting Ukraine against Russia. The situation reminds a lesson from Stephen Crane's Badge of Courage about 'war' called various names, including the Red Animal, the Long Serpent, and the Blood Swollen god. It can turn into anything possible in favor or against expectations. It presents soldiers running in the face of fire. It makes people ask why the mercenaries did not thoroughly investigate the attack against their camps before embarking on a march to Moscow and returning after assurance of protection.
There was nothing wrong with seeking protection from one's employer, first from Wagner Group and then Russia. The way the mercenaries did it and made observers talk about mutiny was questionable. And that has caused an erosion of trust between Russia and the mercenaries. The only assurance for the management of the manage of damage is Russia's need for help in Ukraine.
In the most challenging situation, Belarus's leader's intervention is a bulwark for Russia. News reports say the relationship between Belarus's leader and the mercenaries' leader dates back 20 years. And reports say the mercenary leader has traveled to Belarus to meet with Alexander Lukashenko after returning from the march to Moscow.
It is instructive to say the mercenaries turned back from the march to Moscow after they were promised protection by Belarus's leader and not for them to avoid bloodshed. And they possibly realized the impossibility of marching into Moscow with their lives intact. The statement about avoiding bloodshed became necessary to dodge the mercenaries' need to save their lives amid a lack of diplomacy. Of course, the thought about diplomacy does not arise faced with the thirstiness of the Red Animal for blood.
It is about death. And not even people fighting a battle of life and death wants to die, though their preoccupation is a confrontation with death. Aren't they aware the people they have been killing fighting Ukraine and the ones they may likely kill along the way are humans like them? And the mercenaries' leader has been forced into exile in Belarus.
Since the mercenaries' leader has a long-established connection with the Belarus leader, talking to him to investigate whether Russia attacked against it should have been the first step towards addressing the problem. If confirmed, the next should be a demand for protection to continue the fight against Ukraine. Jumping on the road to Moscow has destroyed the trust they need for the devilish duty they have imposed on themselves.
Now, Moscow will only tolerate them for its own need. And Putin is clear that the mercenaries' decision is an act of betrayal, likens it to treason, and promises a brutal punishment for the organizers. They have alerted the Russians to make Moscow a fortress against all attacks. The Russians will also investigate the source of the attack on the mercenaries. The public awaits the truth about the mercenaries' alleged Russian aggression and the Russians' denial.
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