There are experts who continue to believe that the Wagner Group rebellion under leader Yevgeny Prigozhin was a ruse, a ploy to feign weakness or transfer troops to Belarus.
However, there are several key signs that Putin and Russia's position has weakened since the rebellion. Dr Małgorzata Bonikowska from the Polish Centre for International Relations Foundation has emphasized that in the Putin regime the penalty for rebellion is only one - death. Whatever other considerations there may have been the events of the 23rd and 24th represent a blow to Putin's credibility - never a good thing for a dictator.
Another problem for Russia is indirect and highlighted by Kamil Kłysiński from the Centre for Eastern Studies in Warsaw. In an interview for the Polish Press Agency (PAP), Kłysiński says that the presence of Prigozhin in Belarus - if indeed he is there at present - is a very mixed blessing for Belarusian President Lukashenko. The unpredictable head of a large army of mercenaries is a threat to any host but will particularly induce fear in a dictator.
A third and most immediate price Russia is paying for the rebellion is perceived by Ukrainian forces. Deputy Defence Minister Hanna Malar has said that Russian forces have visibly less faith in their leadership.
Sources: PAP, The Guardian, Twitter, Super Express
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