A nuclear triad superpower, the "third Rome", the bastion of Orthodoxy, and the vanguard of a multipolar world—these are the fantasies cherished by the Kremlin elders.
Yet, these very fantasies are now on the brink of disintegration due to the actions of a few thousand ex-convicts and retirees, simply because they can.
Because the Russians themselves liberated these prisoners from jails and even cheered them on.
Have you seen a series of films depicting the battles for the T-junction by K-2 or the countless reports from Bakhmut?
They feature a handful of weary mercenaries, their bodies adorned with tattoos, futilely attempting to capture a few green zones, only to be met with tank fire, mortar strikes, and their failed attempts to hurl grenades into dugouts.
They find themselves in this predicament simply because they decided to choose an amnesty option and try their luck, stumbling at some point in their lives. Subsequently, they were ensnared in the mechanisms devised by the cannibals. Here, one can only be "nullified" or bleed to death in a green zone.
Purgatory as it is—a place devoid of hope, offering a meager chance at survival for a mere six months.
Yet, Russian patriots have chosen to passively observe this unfolding performance as if it were a gladiatorial contest, even resorting to jeers.
However, these convicts do not possess blood that flows like water; they lack the ability to endure like characters in games. Once they die, it is forever.
Yet, if one knows there is a sledgehammer behind, with Ukrainian tanks looming ahead, they might dare to overturn the table and change the course of the game.
The state is an Instrument of violence by the ruling class.
Throughout history, the state has often emerged as a nomadic group that settled in a particular region, exacting tribute from traders and farmers in exchange for protection and arbitration.
For instance, according to the Norman theory, Scandinavians Askold and Dir were renowned military leaders who imposed tribute on the Polans, effectively reclaiming control over the trade route, the Dnipro, from the Khazar Khaganate.
Monopoly on violence, state symbols, borders, legal coercion—these are the defining characteristics that distinguish the state from another gang wearing different colors. There is nothing more to it.
When you "include" Kherson Region into the Russian Federation and then flee from Kherson while stealing a raccoon, you are undermining the very foundations of the state.
When there is not a single Russian flag for hundreds of kilometers, only skulls, V, and Z, and "Summer and Crossbows" serves as the unofficial anthem of your company instead of the Russian national anthem, you are undermining its foundations.
When photos of MPs wielding sledgehammers become a standard display of good manners, and you mockingly send a sledgehammer stained with fake blood to the EU Parliament, you are eroding its foundations.
When Utkin (commander of the Wagner PMC - LB.ua) shoots at [Chechen leader Ramzan] Kadyrov's people, justifying it by saying "we know each other well from the war in Chechnya", well, you can start to piece it together, can't you, my fellow Russians?
Prigozhin's decision is even understandable; such an opportunity arises only once in a lifetime for a select few across all continents.
You can count on one hand the number of individuals on this planet who can seize the power lying beneath their feet and wield it at the opportune moment.
Moreover, the disarming of private military companies (PMCs) and the signing of contracts with the Ministry of Defence mark the personal end of the line for Prigozhin: his clashes with Shoigu's department date back to the days of Syria and Africa.
Naturally, career military personnel do not appreciate ex-convicts being rained with money while they risk their lives at checkpoints.
And mercenaries disdain those who endure bureaucracy and foolishness for the sake of a pension.
Especially when the achievements are excessively presented as the successes of the Wagner alone throughout the entire winter offensive campaign.
Prigozhin was kept away from official media, prohibited from recruiting new prisoners, and coerced into submitting to a rival structure. Most likely, this marks the physical final stage, a scenario not uncommon in Russia.
In response, he embarked on a brief tour of Russian regions, launching a media campaign (demanding ammunition for Wagner, exposing significant losses), blaming the generals for all his failures, and then pursuing a quest for power.
Indeed, things didn't go as planned. What does our friend Occam have to say about this?
Yesterday, we witnessed a classic coup. You don't need to march in columns towards Moscow to achieve it—there are more than 30,000 ex-convicts in the PMC, who were granted amnesty, not to mention the retired veterans from Syria and Libya.
Perhaps their intention was to eliminate Prigozhin within the camps, and this sparked the reaction. It could have been Putin's attempt at mediation that failed. However, a coup starts with attempts to apprehend rivals, not with marches towards Rostov. It's challenging to maintain control over a city of millions with only a handful of mercenaries. While there was some preparation, including media involvement, the execution fell short.
In reality, the number of Pantsirs, Strela-10, and T-72s in the columns marching towards Moscow doesn't matter. They will always be inferior to the state, and given enough time, the Kremlin would have quashed any rebellion.
But yesterday, the average Russian no longer recognized their own state.
Consequently, the centre of the southern group, Rostov, which supplies the vast front, where the Southern District is based, surrendered without a single shot fired.
That's why the Millerovo airfield was seized, and PMC fighters joined pilots in the cockpits.
That's why electronic warfare helicopters were shot down, and the Alligators [helicopters] attacked oil depots in Voronezh.
Ka-52s bomb Voronezh with high-explosive bombs —dreams come true.
Thus, the burning Il-22M—if it's a Porubshchik —represents a double triumph. The one-off aircraft was destroyed during the rebellion (Il-22PP Porubshchik is an electronic warfare aircraft; three were produced and accepted into service in 2016 - LB.ua).
Russia is now plunged into turmoil, and it's quite something to witness this for the second time in my life.
Unfortunately, our desired scenario did not unfold as during its march on Moscow the PMC did not put up a fight on its ring road, neither did it establish a Rostov Private Military Republic.
Nevertheless, the demise of Russian assault infantry and private armies as a phenomenon is not entirely unwelcome. The Kremlin elder will not forgive them his fears.
The deaths of pilots, border guards, policemen during the breakthrough, and the couple who fell victim to a high-explosive bomb — these casualties represent the fate of the slaves born while respectable people continue to live in Africa — they are the final blow.
Prigozhin, on the other hand, chose to evacuate to Belarus and fly to Africa because even the capture of Moscow would not guarantee his life.
During his advance on Moscow, most officials and oligarchs fled to St. Petersburg.
Even if the Wagner PMC had occupied ministries and departments, Ostankino, and started calling for a coup, the regime would have found numerous members of the Russian Guard, Kadyrov's people, and others who were willing to fight for money.
Dictating to the government and the Duma, meeting thousands of people, it is almost impossible to avoid having tea with Novichok or receiving an envelope laced with poison.
Yet, Russia's statehood and legitimacy are gone. It has become nothing more than a cesspool with gangs dressed in different colors.
Hangover generals with assault rifles resting on their knees were rushed from the front, struggling to read their scripted lines.
The old man, with a trembling chin, exudes fear through the screen — he left his children at the checkpoints and fled to Valdai.
For some reason, former President Medvedev, now demoted to a blogger, stopped writing about pigs.
Business jets carrying oligarchs and ministers' families flying to Dubai.
Positions manned by conscripts, AGS, and excavators in Moscow.
The aircraft losses in a single day are comparable to those incurred by countries during a war, with nearly zero effectiveness.
It was a pitiful show.
This is exactly how it will end — grandiose marches played in the morning, and by evening, everything will crumble like rotten paper.
However, those who cheered and applauded the release of prisoners from jails, punitive battalions, and barrier units, while demanding executions, won't even realize that they have destroyed their own country.
It's already been destroyed. What we are witnessing now is nothing but its death throes.