#Prigozhin / #Wagner saga continues to be bizarre

Lukashenko says Prigozhin is in St Petersburg
Peskov, asked about it, absurdly says “We do not have the desire nor the capability to” monitor the movements of a guy who … *checks notes* … recently sent his private army to attack the capital and shot down multiple aircraft

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/jul/06/wagner-boss-yevgeny-prigozhin-russia-alexander-lukashenko-belarus

Wagner boss Prigozhin has returned to Russia, Lukashenko says

Belarus president says head of mercenary group behind failed mutiny is in St Petersburg

The Guardian

Seen a lot of talk about what allowing Azovstal commanders to leave says about Erdoğan's relations with Russia, but not much about implications for future exchanges. Hundreds are still held, some facing sham trials

https://meduza.io/en/news/2023/07/08/russia-accuses-turkey-and-ukraine-of-violating-terms-of-agreement-after-return-of-azovstal-commanders

Russia accuses Turkey and Ukraine of violating terms of agreement after return of Azovstal commanders — Meduza

On July 8, Azovstal commanders returned to Ukraine from Turkey. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov accused Turkey and Ukraine of breaking the terms of the agreement that freed the commanders from Russian captivity.

Meduza
Impressive analysis of Russian casualties by Mediazona and Meduza, concluded 40,000 to 55,000 KIA through May 2023, excluding LPR/DPR and some unknown number of MIA https://en.zona.media/article/2023/07/10/stats
At least 47,000 Russian soldiers killed in Ukraine. A data investigation by Mediazona and Meduza

A joint investigation by Mediazona, Meduza, and Dmitry Kobak

Mediazona
Discord leaks put it at 35.5K - 43.5K a few months earlier, AFAIK unspecified whether that included LPR/DPR or Wagner

Welp, I guess this take of mine (https://twitter.com/reedmideke/status/1672504330383945728) aged poorly "Not only was Yevgeny Prigozhin not clapped in irons and hauled off to the police station for his rebellion.

It's now emerged that five days later he was in the Kremlin, together with his commanders, sitting round the table and chatting with President Putin."

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-66154912

Reed Mideke on Twitter

“Yeah that doesn't sound like "let bygones be bygones" is on the cards. Now the question is how much of the military is onboard, and how much resources he's willing to divert from Ukraine https://t.co/7QphmqczzX”

Twitter

#Opsec tip of the day brought to you by recently assassinated Russian submarine commander Stanislav Rzhitsky who reportedly "had profile on Strava, where he posted his runs and bike rides" and was shot while out jogging

https://twitter.com/maria_avdv/status/1678513332574191617
https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-deputy-chief-krasnodar-shot-dead-/32497651.html#0_8_10089_8766_2710_249232399

Maria Avdeeva on Twitter

“It turns out that Rzytskyi, shot in Krasnodar, had profile on Strava, where he posted his runs and bike rides.”

Twitter

Meanwhile, a reminder that coups in nuclear weapons states aren't all fun and games 😬
"as rebellious Wagner forces drove north toward Moscow on June 24, a contingent of military vehicles diverted east on a highway in the direction of a fortified Russian army base that holds nuclear weapons, according to videos posted online and interviews with local residents"

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/wagner-fighters-neared-russian-nuclear-base-during-revolt-2023-07-10/

Wagner fighters neared Russian nuclear base during revolt

As rebellious Wagner forces drove north toward Moscow on June 24, a contingent of military vehicles diverted east on a highway in the direction of a fortified Russian army base that holds nuclear weapons, according to videos posted online and interviews with local residents.

Reuters

HUR head Budanov "said Wagner fighters went far further… and that their intention was to acquire small Soviet-era nuclear devices in order to "raise the stakes" in their mutiny"

(Budanov says some wild stuff on occasion, OTOH reuters got level of corroboration from other sources)

Some people have been dismissive of Wagner actually being able to use them, but that assumes they couldn't get willing or coerced cooperation from the people who are supposed to operate the weapons. Not sure I'd want bet on that… and of course, if they got control of the weapons and made threats, it would be quite hard to be certain
Also, if this is true (and it seems fairly solid that Wagner was at least heading toward the Voronezh-45 storage site), it makes Putin's "let bygones be bygones" approach even more absolutely fucking bonkers
Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists analysis from June on what the risks would be if Wagner got hold of them seems pretty level headed (tl;dr definite obstacles to use, but can't dismiss completely, could be used for threats) https://thebulletin.org/2023/06/what-would-happen-if-a-military-group-took-over-russias-nuclear-arsenal/
What would happen if a military group took over Russia’s nuclear arsenal?

Experts explain how the Wagner Group could have taken control of some Russian nuclear weapons and caused strategic instability.

Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists
"Shoigu implausibly claimed on July 11 that Ukrainian forces have lost 26,000 servicemembers and 1,244 tanks and infantry fighting vehicles since starting counteroffensive operations on June 4" (Oryx documents 572 tank and 626 IFV losses… for the entire war)
https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-july-11-2023
Institute for the Study of War

Russian forces conducted a series of Shahed 131 and 136 drone strikes across Ukraine on July 11, likely in a demonstrative response to the 2023 NATO Summit in Vilnius and to threaten the Black Sea grain deal. The Ukrainian General Staff reported that

Institute for the Study of War

Also in that ISW report "Dmitry Rogozin is promoting a proposal to launch high-explosive aerial bombs from the Vostochny and Plesetsk cosmodromes… Rogozin was reportedly interested in retrofitting the FAB-500 bombs to survive reentry into the atmosphere"

Hard to see that making much sense, but on brand for Rogozin

Man who shot and injured a draft officer faces the same prison time as one who made a 50 euro donation for the Ukrainian military 🤨

https://notes.citeam.org/mobi-jul-10-11

Mobilization in Russia for Jul. 10-11, 2023 CIT Volunteer Summary

Today, Jul. 11, the order of the Ministry of Internal Affairs on restricting the driving license due to failure to appear in a draft...

Teletype
Intrigue and infighting among Russian command in #Ukraine
1) major general Ivan Popov, commander of the Russian 58th army claims he was removed from command, according to him due to telling the truth about conditions on the front https://twitter.com/Teoyaomiquu/status/1679239805094313987
✙🍒 Constantine 🍒✙ on Twitter

“Russian major general Ivan Popov (58th combined arms Air Defense Army) recorded a message saying that he was relieved from duty from his position. 🔊Please listen below to the audio; I've added subtitles. He says he is removed for telling the truth to the high command. He…”

Twitter
2) "On July 11, a Storm Shadow strike has made on the 58th Army's headquarters in Berdyansk.
Where the deputy commander of the 58th Army, General Tsokov, was killed" (edit: Tsokov was actually deputy commander of the Southern Military District, not of the 58th army as stated in tweet) https://twitter.com/auto_glam/status/1679241164770414592
Angry Cossack on Twitter

“I'm done with his quotes. Nowthe most interesting part from another source. On July 11, a Storm Shadow strike has made on the 58th Army's headquarters in Berdyansk. Where the deputy commander of the 58th Army, General Tsokov , was killed https://t.co/w08tyNysmm”

Twitter
3) Chatter (of dubious reliability) implying the strike was a leak by MoD to get rid of Popov https://twitter.com/auto_glam/status/1679249294660976641
Angry Cossack on Twitter

“And this is post from a small russian tg-public. By the way, the information was posted here BEFORE the news with Popov was published.”

Twitter
Now if you ask me, AFU is perfectly capable of targeting command posts on their own, having both sources on the ground and friends with the most capable ISR systems on the planet. But hey, never interrupt your enemy while they're forming a circular firing squad!
This is what #Ukraine is fighting against "Hundreds [of civilians] are used for slave labor by Russia’s military, for digging trenches and other fortifications, as well as mass graves. Torture is routine, including repeated electrical shocks, beatings that crack skulls and fracture ribs, and simulated suffocation. Many former prisoners told the AP they witnessed deaths." https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-russia-prisons-civilians-torture-detainees-88b4abf2efbf383272eed9378be13c72
Thousands of Ukraine civilians are being held in Russian prisons. Russia plans to build many more

Thousands of Ukrainian civilians are being detained across Russia and the Ukrainian territories it occupies, in centers ranging from brand-new wings in Russian prisons to clammy basements. Most have no status under Russian law. An Associated Press investigation also found that Russia is making plans to hold potentially thousands more. A Russian government document obtained by the AP dating to January outlined plans to create 25 new prison colonies and six other detention centers in occupied Ukraine by 2026. In addition, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree in May that would make it easier for Russia to deport Ukrainians who resist Russian occupation deep into Russia indefinitely, which has already happened in multiple cases documented by the AP.

AP News
And also, those who demand negotiations and "de-escalation" from the west must grapple with this: "Russia does not acknowledge holding civilians at all, let alone its reasons for doing so"

Putin's incoherent response to Wagner revolt continues:
[Putin] said that "Wagner does not exist" when asked whether the group would be preserved as a fighting unit. "There is no law on private military organisations. It just doesn't exist."

This "difficult issue" of how to legalise Wagner fighters should be discussed in parliament https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-66194549

Wagner forces no longer significant in Ukraine, US says

The Pentagon comments come three weeks after the mercenaries' failed mutiny in Russia.

BBC News

👀 "Preliminarily something hit the Crimean bridge.
According to official Russian sources, traffic on the bridge has been halted."

(very unconfirmed, but auto_glam isn't a fabulist)

#Ukraine #Crimea

https://twitter.com/auto_glam/status/1680753292639453184

Angry Cossack on Twitter

“According to official Russian sources, traffic on the bridge has been halted.”

Twitter
"It's hard to make out anything in the video.
According to preliminary information, one of the bridge supports was destroyed and one span collapsed."
https://twitter.com/auto_glam/status/1680752696578416641
Angry Cossack on Twitter

“It's hard to make out anything in the video. According to preliminary information, one of the bridge supports was destroyed and one span collapsed.”

Twitter

TASS confirms closed due to an unspecified "emergency"

Crimea occupation head Sergey Aksyonov: "Traffic was stopped on the Krymsky Bridge: an emergency occurred in the area of ​​the 145th support from the Krasnodar Territory. Law enforcement agencies and all responsible services are working. I spoke with the Minister of Transport … measures are being taken to restore the situation. We keep in touch with colleagues from Krasnodar Territory"
https://tass.ru/proisshestviya/18287603

На Крымском мосту остановлено движение из-за ЧП - Аксенов

ТАСС

Pictures of the damage have emerged on the BAZA telegram channel. Not obvious what happened, but seems like the road portion will be significantly affected for some time

https://t.me/bazabazon/19608

#Ukraine #Crimea

Baza

Фото с места взрыва на Крымском мосту. Как ранее сообщала «База» 1 пролет был разрушен, еще 1 поврежден. Фото прислано подписчиками.

Telegram
Video from a train passenger confirms the rail bridge is unaffected https://twitter.com/bayraktar_1love/status/1680824307411238912
Special Kherson Cat 🐈🇺🇦 on Twitter

“/4. View of the damage from the point of view of the railway Crimean bridge. Missing damage to the surface of the roadway can be seen, which may indicate that the attack was indeed carried out using sea drones.”

Twitter

BBC reports "a source within Ukraine's intelligence service, the SBU, told the BBC's Russian service that it had carried out the attack alongside the navy's special forces"
Ukrainian outlets Suspilne and Ukrainska Pravda report similarly, an some Russian sources also suggest it was a USV attack

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-66218869

Crimea bridge closed following 'emergency'

Russian-installed officials have told people to find other routes into the occupied Ukrainian peninsula.

BBC News
Uninformed speculation: If you were going to attack it with a high precision missile like Storm Shadow or ATACMS, the big arch over the shipping channel would be the preferred target. OTOH, a USV would necessarily prefer the parts low the water
Russian National Anti-Terrorism Committee says "At 03:05, two Ukrainian unmanned surface vehicles attacked the Crimean bridge" https://tass.ru/proisshestviya/18289125

Russians claim one lane will open to light vehicles July 18, full repairs for the two road spans in September and November. Rail traffic continues although some reports it suffered damage. Incremental damage to Russian logistics but probably not game changing

https://kyivindependent.com/one-part-of-the/

Russian official: One part of Crimean Bridge can't be restored

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin said that one span of the part of the Crimean Bridge for road vehicles is completely destroyed and cannot be restored.

The Kyiv Independent
Putin demands "specific proposals to strengthen the security" and indeed, if #Ukraine manages to repeat the attack and hit the rail bridge before repairs are completed, it would seem to go from inconvenient and embarrassing to a major problem for Russia in Crimea and southern Ukraine
This Insider piece sourced (as claimed) from GRU, FSB and Wagner insiders is wild, but I'm not sure it clears anything up
https://theins.ru/en/politics/263596
Exclusive: Russia’s Spies Say Putin Faces More Coups

Yevgeny Prigozhin's coup attempt in June left everyone in the world stunned - except Russian intelligence officials, some of whom tacitly supported the catering magnate's efforts. In this exclusive for The Insider, sources in the FSB, GRU and Ministry of Internal Affairs explain why Vladimir Putin's security apparatus failed to stop Wagner from seizing a key military base and charging all the way to the gates of Moscow.

The Insider
Well it's not The Hague, but happy Girkin arrest day to all who celebrate https://kyivindependent.com/russian-media-claim-girkin-arrested/
Russian sources: Igor Girkin arrested

Igor "Strelkov" Girkin, a Russian war criminal and a former commander of Russian proxy forces in occupied Donetsk Oblast, has been arrested, as reported on July 21 by his Telegram channel and Russian media.

The Kyiv Independent

#Ukraine #Crimea summer seems to be heating up:
July 17: Kerch bridge
July 19: Stary Krym ammo depot https://www.cnn.com/2023/07/19/europe/russia-ukraine-crimea-depot-explosion-intl/index.html
July 22: Oktyabrske airfield / ammo depot https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/ukraine-situation-report-huge-explosions-rock-crimean-ammo-depot
Today: Dzhankoy https://twitter.com/NOELreports/status/1683361394291343360

No clear evidence what hit the bases

Rybar claims Storm Shadow used. Not necessarily reliable, but plausible. Notably some people suggested there was a restriction against using them in Crimea, since it wasn't hit in the first month of Storm Shadow attacks. But maybe #Ukraine was just waiting for the right moment https://twitter.com/NOELreports/status/1683452675411660800
NOELREPORTS 🇪🇺 🇺🇦 on Twitter

“Russian channel Rybar assessed the morning strike in Crimea. "UAVs took off from Kryvy Rih, reached Odesa via Mykolaiv region, and there diverted to Crimea in order to confuse Russian air defense. In parallel with this, four Storm Shadow cruise missiles were launched by Su-24…”

Twitter
Meanwhile #IAEA reports Russians are moving ZNPP reactor 4 to hot shutdown (and 5 to cold), despite #Ukraine nuclear regulator ordering all to cold shutdown. Also, antipersonnel mines around the plant, though not in close proximity to critical systems, and IAEA still denied access to turbine hall roofs https://www.iaea.org/newscenter/pressreleases/update-175-iaea-director-general-statement-on-situation-in-ukraine
Update 175 – IAEA Director General Statement on Situation in Ukraine | IAEA

WaPo on #Prigozhin mutiny citing a bunch unnamed government / intelligence sources, claiming that it was pretty much what it seemed at the time: Despite advance warning Prigozhin was up to something, no immediate direction from the top, many lower ranks took a wait and see approach

#GiftArticle #GiftLink https://wapo.st/3OtUOE3

Putin appeared paralyzed and unable to act in first hours of rebellion

Ahead of the mutiny, steps were taken to boost security at the Kremlin, but Putin was uncertain how to respond to a warlord critical to many global operations.

The Washington Post
In case you need a succinct illustration of what an absolute clown Seymour Hersh is these days, he claims "some in the American intelligence community" worry Russia might respond to drone attacks on Moscow by attacking Kyiv 🥴

Prigozhin shows up at Putin's Russia-Africa summit in St Petersburg. Not sure "recently conducted a failed coup attempt in home country" is a selling point for a mercenary organization, by YMMV

https://www.ft.com/content/0a69c5e8-803d-4bd6-b5f8-8f36073372fc

Wagner boss Prigozhin appears on sidelines of Russia-Africa summit in St Petersburg

News, analysis and comment from the Financial Times, the worldʼs leading global business publication

Financial Times
From @osinttechnical on the other site, APKWS has finally made an appearance, after being listed in aid packages since last year. Not clear what's painting the target, being able to do it with drones would seem like an extremely useful capability
https://twitter.com/Osinttechnical/status/1684796259977109505
OSINTtechnical on Twitter

“HMMWV-based LAND-LGR4 APKWS MRL in Ukrainian service, firing laser-guided Hydra 70mm APKWS rockets at a Russian position in a treeline.”

Twitter
Another candidate for recent #Ukraine long-range strikes: Re-purposed S-200 SAMs. The thing in this video certainly looks S-200ish, though hitting specific surface targets would imply significant GNC upgrades https://twitter.com/KevinRothrock/status/1684983833823780864
Kevin Rothrock on Twitter

“Dashcam captures an apparent Ukrainian missile (reportedly an S-200) hitting a building today in downtown Taganrog. Russia’s Investigative Committee is treating the incident as a terrorist attack. Other rocket attacks were reported in Kaluga, Rostov, and Crimea.”

Twitter
S-200 is a chonky SAM with a reported 300 km range against air targets. They also have a history of going astray and hitting distant things on the ground https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S-200_(missile)
S-200 (missile) - Wikipedia

Long piece from @mgerrydoyle on the terrible scale of the landmine problem in #ukraine
https://www.reuters.com/graphics/UKRAINE-CRISIS/LANDMINES/myvmgnqbavr/index.html
Russian land mines pose a persistent and deadly threat in Ukraine

As Ukraine fights back, mines left by Russian forces pose a problem for Kyiv's military — and civilians in liberated territory

Reuters

OK, it was only a matter of time before North Korean munitions showed up in #Ukraine, but I kinda expected the Russians to be firing them.

Key quotes "Most were manufactured in the 1980s and 1990s, according to their markings … Ukrainian soldiers said the rockets had been “seized” from a ship by a “friendly” country" while a Ukrainian official implied they might be captured from Russians

(ft link probably unpaywalled if you click from twitter)

https://twitter.com/ChristopherJM/status/1685126870159802373

Christopher Miller on Twitter

“Ukrainian troops have come into possession of North Korea-made rockets they’re using with Grad MLRS along the frontline. Hat tip to @CalibreObscura @UAWeapons @RALee85 for help with ID. https://t.co/8nrJd2uaWh”

Twitter
Unusually close look at some canard drones likely used in strikes by #Ukraine on Russia. Looks aerodynamically slick (aside from the unfaired motor), no surprise it can reach Moscow IMO. Spindly "landing gear" only designed for takeoff? No obvious sign of optical sensors = GNSS + IMU only?
https://twitter.com/serhiyprytula/status/1685596517850021888
Serhiy Prytula on Twitter

“Ми гадки не маємо що ж може літати у Москву! Та запевняємо, що ви, хто донатив на помсту, тут гарантовано не причетні 😉. Далі буде, це тільки пристрілка 😉. А підтримати Сили Оборони ви завжди можете за цим посиланням: https://t.co/NmdHTlU8b3 Працюємо, панове! І……”

Twitter

CNN also recently got a close look at one of #Ukraine's USVs. Operators claim that Russian's ships defenses have great difficulty countering them seems a bit optimistic though. There have been a lot more attacks than confirmed successful hits

https://www.cnn.com/2023/07/30/europe/ukraine-drones-black-sea-intl/index.html

Multiple drones hit Moscow again, reportedly causing damage to building housing several Russian federal ministries https://twitter.com/RALee85/status/1686180379575595009
Rob Lee on Twitter

“There was another UAV attack on Moscow City tonight. One UAV reportedly hit the same building that was struck on July 29. https://t.co/mVbitmwbNY https://t.co/nEoWadUpSW”

Twitter
Thread from Christiaan Triebert includes video of damage purportedly from inside the Ministry of Digital Development. Unconfirmed, but pretty good targeting if true
https://twitter.com/trbrtc/status/1686174248694431744
Christiaan Triebert on Twitter

“Just moments ago, reports of yet another drone attack in Moscow (early hours of August 1), making it the fourth attack in the span of just one week. Threading details as they emerge below:”

Twitter

Kyiv Independent has a wild story about the Ukrainian POWs sent to Hungary. "While the POWs allegedly do have Hungarian-sounding surnames, only one speaks Hungarian and is a Hungarian citizen … it was the thinly-veiled image of saving Hungarians that mattered: who these people were in reality did not"

#Ukraine

https://kyivindependent.com/exclusive-new-insights-point-to-hungarys-collaboration-with-moscow-on-transfer-of-ukrainian-pows/

Exclusive: New insights point to Hungary’s collaboration with Moscow on transfer of Ukrainian POWs

In early June, a bizarre and mysterious joint operation was carried out between two of Ukraine’s neighbors, one to the east and one to the west. Eleven Ukrainian soldiers, after having been held in Russian captivity for an unknown amount of time, were moved from Russia to Hungary. Although

The Kyiv Independent
Held under unclear circumstances, reportedly pressured:
"The narrative of this manipulation, as confirmed by the diplomatic sources, was to convince the POWs that they would immediately be returned to the front line or tried as deserters if they returned to Ukraine, with one source claiming that they were even pressured to take Hungarian citizenship."
This is bizarre, a whole bunch of people who attempted arson attacks on Russian draft offices claim to have been convinced to do it by phone scammers (has been reported for a while, but the sheer number in this post is striking) https://notes.citeam.org/mobi-jul-31-aug-1
Mobilization in Russia for July 31-Aug. 1, 2023 CIT Volunteer Summary

Member of the State Council of Russia\'s constituent Republic of Tatarstan Eduard Sharafiev has introduced a federal bill to the Council...

Teletype
I mean, people fall for all kinds of phone scams but "throw a molotov at a government building" seems like a pretty high bar. Attempt to get a lighter sentence than saying it's anti-war? Seems unlikely to work, and likely to backfire if there's no evidence of the "scammer"
BBC Russian with a long piece on the decline of the Russian diplomatic corps into shouty propagandist "robots with papers" (google translate seems to do passably well)
https://www.bbc.com/russian/articles/cxrxlwr2q4ro
Как российский МИД потерял влияние на Путина и не остановил войну - BBC News Русская служба

Дипломатии не удалось остановить российское вторжение в Украину и предотвратить обвал в отношениях Запада и России. Дипломаты из МИД РФ потеряли авторитет внутри системы власти, пытаясь угодить Кремлю, и превратились в пропагандистов, не способных влиять на позицию Путина. Можно ли восстановить разрушенные войной связи России с западным миром?

BBC News Русская служба

Reports of a Russian project 775 Ropucha class landing ship listing heavily after USV attack on Novorossiysk https://twitter.com/yarotrof/status/1687353796622491650

https://twitter.com/JimmySecUK/status/1687353883499106304

#Ukraine

Yaroslav Trofimov on Twitter

“One Russian Navy large landing ship of project 775 appears to have been damaged by Ukrainian drones in Novorossiysk — it has taken some water and is tilting to the side.”

Twitter
Notably two were damaged in Berdyansk in 2022, and Russia was reportedly using landing ships (though I haven't seen type named) to ease logistics bottlenecks related to the Kerch bridge damage
Anyway #Ukraine posted the video feed from one of the #USV, so I guess we're not playing the "we have no idea who did that" game today
https://twitter.com/Osinttechnical/status/1687358900079587329
OSINTtechnical on Twitter

“Footage of the Ukrainian USV hitting the Russian Ropucha class LST.”

Twitter
TASS meanwhile parrots the Russian MOD claiming the USVs were defeated ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ https://tass.ru/armiya-i-opk/18442471
ВСУ ночью попытались атаковать военно-морскую базу Новороссийск

ТАСС
RIA reports (google translate): "To the remark of journalists that, despite the statement of the Ministry of Defense, videos of the damaged ship being towed appeared on the network, Peskov replied that it was necessary to focus on the information of the Ministry of Defense.
"This concerns a special military operation, here questions should be addressed to the Ministry of Defense and guided by the information provided by the Ministry of Defense," he said." ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ https://ria.ru/20230804/korabl-1888167869.html
В Кремле переадресовали вопрос о повреждении корабля в Новороссийске

Пресс-секретарь президента РФ Дмитрий Песков, отвечая на вопрос о якобы повреждении корабля в Новороссийске, заявил, что в ситуации с атакой ВСУ на военные... РИА Новости, 04.08.2023

РИА Новости

Propaganda value of claiming no damage while you tow a heavily listing >2000 ton warship past a city of a quarter million seems questionable to me, but then again, I am no master strategist!

(Andrey appears to have it figured out)

Good example of what that earlier BBC piece on the Russian diplomatic corps described: Russian U.K. ambassador Andrey Kelin, responding to a question from Christiane Amanpour about the Prigozhin mutiny, claims that no one was killed

We saw multiple aircraft shot down and saw obituaries of their crews

https://twitter.com/amanpour/status/1687523063850553358

Christiane Amanpour on Twitter

“I asked the Russian Ambassador to the UK why the leader of the failed armed uprising against his state is still free, when the Kremlin is so quick to jail political opponents and journalists for treason.”

Twitter
@reedmideke “Watch them let us intercept their ship with a surfboard at walking pace” is way funnier than “whoops another smoking accident”. They know a good punchline.