So, everyone's in a dither over the Putin/Prigozhin rebellion/sort-of coup//insurrection/spat. I've read all sorts of articles claiming all kinds of theories, so I might as well throw in my two cents.
Since I've never been a Kremlinologist, I've had to resort to logic.
- Prigozhin, after bitching for weeks over the incompetence/corruption of the Russian high command, turns his troops toward Moscow.
- All the time he professes his love for Putin.
- His advance is greeted by rose-strewing citizens.
- Suddenly, a truce is brokered by Lukashenko (Who is noted for little, other than his fealty to Putin.) and Wagner stops its march and goes to Belarus.
- Except they're not in Belarus, they're somewhere in Russia. Maybe.
- Two members of the Russian high command take flight, sans airplance or parachutes.
Suppose this is the case: Putin, aware that sons, husbands and brothers returning in body bags is not a crowd pleaser, and may actually result in his ouster, delegates his pool boy caterer hit man to lay the blame on the high command. Crowds emerge in boisterous support, possibly because they actually are sick of this sh*t, or because the Russian people have always supported the Little Holy Father, the Czar Kommisar Putin, or because the GRU has "encouraged" them. (If the CIA can get rose petals to Iraq in March, the GRU could certainly cook up something. Apologies if I have the wrong set of initials. As I said, I'm not a Kremlinologist.)
Doubt me? Read this:
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2023/7/6/2179594/-Prigozhin-visiting-St-Petersburg-and-maybe-Moscow-today-What-gives
I think this is a master class in kayfabe.