Russia's pharaonic defense works in #Ukraine are a clear investment in a war of attrition. The hope of offensive victories formally ended with Ukraine's counter-offensive. This means the #Wagner mercenary group had played out its usefulness. It was thereafter merely a threat to #Russia. Prigozhin's complaints of orchestrated losses were probably not unfounded. He must have realised he had not long to live in any case.

#Prigozhin had one card to play and was essentially damned to play it.