Today's D Brief: UK defense chief in Kyiv; After Putin visit, Kim vows more nukes; Taiwan unveils sub; Robot-wingman flap; And a bit more.
Defense OneOct 01, 2023
Putin Meets Ex-Wagner Commander Andrei Troshev
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Image copyright: [via Kremlin Presidential Press Service]
The Facts
Russian Pres. Vladimir Putin was this week pictured in a meeting with Andrei Troshev, formerly a senior commander of the Wagner mercenary group led by Yevgeny Prigozhin until his death in a plane crash earlier this year.
According to a Kremlin statement on the meeting released on Friday, Putin was quoted as telling Troshev: "At the last meeting we talked about you overseeing the formation of volunteer units that can carry out various tasks, first and foremost of course in the zone of the special military operation," — Russia's preferred way of referring to its war in Ukraine.
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
Putin's meeting with Troshev underscores how the Kremlin was attempting to show how the state has now taken control of the Wagner mercenary group after its failed rebellion — one of the biggest threats to Putin's leadership in over two decades of power.
Pro-Russia narrative
Putin's meeting with Troshev is a demonstration of the leader's pragmatism in dealing with problems. On this occasion, he wanted to put a capable leader in charge in order to continue putting these experienced fighters to good use in the war against Ukraine.
