🐾 Wagner to Putin: "Expect us"

Author

Geopolitics Hound
August 25, 2023

Good morning, readers!

Fresh new day, fresh new details on Prigozhin’s death.

Meanwhile, BRICS is on the move, making its global presence even more formidable than before.

Today’s geopolitics hotspots:

🪖 Russian coup 2.0?

Here are the most prominent theories about the circumstances of Prigozhin’s supposed death:

  • Prigozhin faked his own death: Flight-tracking data shows that another aircraft under Prigozhin's ownership took off from Moscow to St. Petersburg in remarkably close succession. One crashed and burned, while the other safely landed.

  • The plane was shot down: The Wagner-affiliated Grey Zone Telegram channel suggests that Prigozhin’s plane was shot down by the Russian air defenses.

  • The plane was sabotaged: An explosive device was planted in the landing gear compartment of the plane. According to the Russian Telegram channel Shot, this is one of the scenarios being investigated by the authorities.

🪪 Prigozhin positively ID’ed.

The body of Prigozhin was reportedly identified by a command of the Wagner Group.

How? Well, it turns out that his distinctive missing finger, a result of an injury he sustained during his time in a penal colony many years ago, was the key identifier.

🔥 Wagner threatens Putin: “Expect us.”

Their message isn’t clear enough?

"If the information about Prigozhin's death is confirmed, we will organize a second 'March of Justice' on Moscow! He'd better be alive, it's in your own interests...."

From the anti-Kremlin Telegram channel Wagner Play.

🇷🇺 Putin’s breaks his silence.

“[Prigozhin] had a difficult path and made serious mistakes in his life.”

Vladimir Putin

💪🏻 BRICS bulk up

BRICS wants to get bigger and bolder. The bloc, which consists of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, has invited 6 more nations to join its ranks.

These include:

  • Argentina

  • Egypt

  • Ethiopia

  • Iran

  • Saudi Arabia

  • UAE

Their full membership will be effective from January 1st, 2024.

🌟 Today’s gem

Here is President Zelenskyy making light of Prigozhin’s death.

Quick updates

Keep floppin’

  • 🇰🇵 North Korea:
    North Korea’s spy satellite launch is a flop, again. Pyongyang’s second attempt to send a spy satellite into orbit ended in a disaster, as the rocket broke into pieces and fell into the sea.

  • 🇨🇳 China:
    China’s stock market is in freefall as foreign investors flee. Global investors have pulled out almost $11 billion from Chinese stocks in less than two weeks, the longest streak of outflows ever recorded.

  • 🇦🇷 Argentina:
    Argentina is ditching the peso for the dollar, but not by choice.

    The country’s currency is so worthless that businesses and workers are opting for USD instead. Tech firms pay in dollars to keep talent, while rents and menus are priced in dollars too. Is this the end of the peso?

  • 🇮🇳 India:
    No time to waste for Pragyan. Soon after making history, India's lunar rover is venturing into the uncharted territory of the moon's south pole – a zone no other nation has dared to tread.

  • 🇯🇵 Japan:
    Don’t worry, radioactive water is safe. Japan begins dumping nuclear wastewater into the ocean. It plans to release 1.4 million tonnes of it over the next 30 years.