Russian security services or military cadres may have had prior knowledge of the Wagner Group armed insurrection, CNN reported on June 28, citing a European intelligence official.
"They might have known and might have not told about it, and known and decided to help it succeed. There are some hints. There might have been prior knowledge," CNN's source claimed.
"What happened made Putin lose his prestige. If that is what factions wanted, then that is what they got."
The New York Times reported earlier on June 28 that a Russian general knew in advance about the planned insurrection, indicating this officer may have been Sergei Surovikin.
Martin Fornusek
According to the Institute for the Study of War, the rebellion highlighted weaknesses in Putin's leadership and exposed how unprepared Russia's defense ministry is for an attack.
The Wagner Group's founder launched an armed rebellion against the Russian government on June 23. His mercenaries occupied the city of Rostov and marched on Moscow, only to abruptly end the insurrection on June 24.
After a deal between the Kremlin and Prigozhin, allegedly brokered by Belarus's dictator Aleksandr Lukashenko, Russian officials said that the Wagner founder and its contractors would be allowed to leave for Belarus.
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