Rysk propagandist Vladlen Tatarskij likviderad i Sankt Petersburg -Bombexplosion 2023-04-02

ISW: Prigozjin tog dådet i S:t Petersburg personligt
Wagnerledaren Jevgenij Prigozjins respons på mordet på krigsbloggaren Vladlen Tatarskij i Sankt Petersburg tyder på att han ser dådet som åtminstone delvis riktat mot honom själv, skriver tankesmedjan ISW.

Bland annat höll Prigozjin ett evenemang vid det förstörda kaféet, och sa att han så fort som möjligt kom från fronten i Bachmut för att hedra Tatarskijs minne. Han meddelade också att han kommer att kompensera evenemangsdeltagarna ekonomiskt.

Wagner Group financier Yevgeny Prigozhin’s demonstrative response to the assassination of Russian milblogger Maxim Fomin (Vladlen Tatarsky) indicates Prigozhin likely believes that the attack was in part directed at himself. Prigozhin held an event on April 4 at the remnants of the restaurant where Fomin was killed by an improvised explosive device on April 2.[11]

Prigozhin claimed that he arrived at the scene from the Bakhmut frontline as quickly as he could to commemorate Fomin. Prigozhin announced that he intends to expand “Kiber Front Z”—the Wagner-affiliated ultranationalist group that held Fomin’s fatal event—into a social movement that fights against external threats.[12] Prigozhin stated that the Wagner Group has been thwarting attempts by unnamed actors to eliminate the group since 2014.[13] Prigozhin also noted that he will offer financial compensation to the event’s attendees.

Prigozhin’s publicly demonstrative response and vague accusations of a campaign against Wagner suggest that Prigozhin is likely attempting to indirectly frame the incident as an attack on him.[14] Prigozhin’s response also shows that he intends to continue to pursue a central position within the Russian pro-war ultranationalist community, despite the threat of violence and pushback.

Västländerna har uttryckt alldeles för lite oro efter att den ryske militärbloggaren Vladlen Tatarskij dödades av en bomb på ett kafé i Sankt Petersburg förra veckan. Det menar Maria Zakharova, talesperson för det ryska utrikesdepartementet, rapporterar Reuters.