"Public execution": what the Western media write about Prigozhin's death

The Western media have no doubt that the plane of the head of the Wagner PMC, Evgeny Prigozhin, was shot down on the orders of Vladimir Putin. The Russian dictator needed to restore his authority, which had been shaken after the Prigozhin rebellion, and clearly remind the elites that such things do not go unpunished, journalists believe.

Prigozhin's death has restored Putin's reputation as the undisputed leader of Russia, Bloomberg writes. The elimination of a man who went virtually unpunished after a coup attempt is a strong stabilizing factor for the Putin regime, as it shows that any challenge will end badly, the agency notes.

"The lively, energetic and ideological Prigozhin was undoubtedly a problem for the regime, which personifies Putin's political humiliation," political analyst Tatyana Stanova commented to the publication.

This is a demonstration of Putin's strength before the March 2024 elections, Bloomberg notes. Putin has eliminated all critics of his power and "showed everyone that he is in full control of the situation," the expert believes.

Prigozhin's death sends a disturbing signal to Russian elites, it is in fact a public execution, writes The Wall Street Journal.

"The Russian elite will see this as revenge for the uprising against the Kremlin, and it is a move that makes it clear to everyone that Putin is still in control," the newspaper writes.

Prigozhin's death is intended to increase the feeling of fear and show that no one is safe in Russia now, Bloomberg adds.

"Putin is showing what will happen to anyone who dares to challenge the regime or disobey," says political analyst Maria Snegova. "This is a powerful signal, and it was deliberately executed on such a scale – the explosion of the plane has a powerful demonstration effect. The message is loud and clear, mostly aimed at a domestic audience, Bloomberg concludes.

"The establishment is now convinced that it will be impossible to resist Putin," adds political analyst Abbas Gallamov, "Putin is strong enough and capable of revenge.

Now everyone understands that the response to the betrayal will be irreversible and swift, an unnamed former senior Kremlin official told the Financial Times: "This is a signal to the entire elite."

The eight weeks Prigozhin spent in semi-exile after the coup were clearly a prelude to an elaborate revenge. It was a finale straight out of The Godfather, Oleg Ignatov, senior Russia analyst at Crisis Group, told the WSJ. This is the end of one chapter and the beginning of another of Putin's brutal policies in Russia, the newspaper said.

Background. To recap, Biden suggested that Putin was behind the plane crash with Prigozhin. He said he was not surprised and expected something like this to happen.