russia. one of them is prigozhin telling russia and telling the world that putin s war in ukraine is not for the reasons that he said it was. he said, this war wasn t needed to return russian citizens to our bosom nor to demilitarize or de-nazi fy ukraine. the war was needed so a bunch of animals could simply exult in glory. someone telling the truth like that from his perch in russia seems indelible. the fact that putin fled moscow when wagner troops were marching on moscow is indelible and the other thing that seems indelible here is the question that is, the fact that it s left unresolved what happened to the mutineering forces prigozhin appears maybe to have brought with him to belarus. those who participated in the armed revolt are at large and we don t know what happens to this
they are barbaric, they ve committed untold war crimes against civilians and non combatants. it s unclear what happens to wagner group, it s unclear what happens to prigozhin. i think it s still too early to say whether it truly gets folded into russia s conventional forces or whether there s some other demilitarize asian or whether it remains a mercenary force. but we actually don t need, right now, that clarity about internal dynamics in russia to have strategic clarity on our side. because again, what we ve been doing for the last 18 months has been working. the color that we need needs to double down on our strength and support ukraine in the coming counteroffensive. but what they really trust one another again after this weekend, could you really see the wagner group getting folded back in? there s going to be incredible tension, certainly between the wagner group and the russian air force after the killed i believe 12 russian airmen in their mauve to march
times. military equipment inside the city of moscow in per passion for the defensive. it this all comes after prigozhin yesterday heavily escalated his public feud with these two men, russia s defense ministry and defense minister, sergei shoigu, the man on the, left and the head of russia s armed forces, the chief of staff, valery gerasimov. both who prigozhin hates and blames for russia s failure in ukraine. and also, for the wagner group s heavy losses. in a series of messages posted on telegram, prigozhin accused the kremlin of invading ukraine under false pretenses. calling it a quote, rocket. it wasn t done to, quote, demilitarize or the nazify ukraine, but instead to enrich shoigu, the defense minister, and other members of the ruling elite. prigozhin vowed that his troops would advance on moscow to punish russia s, quote, evil military leadership. prigozhin also claimed that one
and he said he is not so concerned now because the unity in the senate is not what it was four years ago. if we keep communicating and keep explaining what we re trying to do for the country, how well we mean for the future of this country, i think that would not be a significant roadblock. and the price to pay, the cost of going against 25 million votes here in thailand would be very hefty. now he spoke about his policies as well, the fact that he wants to keep the military out of politics. he also wants deep structural reforms within the country, including to the economy and the once untouchable monarchy. first is to demilitarize. second is to demonopolize. and third is to decentralize thailand. i think with the through a pronged approach, that s the only way that we can fully
liberate ukraine, denazifying ukraine, demilitarize it in a matter of weeks. he has grossly miscalculated, time and time again, and deeply underestimated the will of the ukrainian people. to fight until all of their territories liberated. i don t see how that changes i just can t understand the circumstances under which that changes, whether it s months or years whether we are supporting them or not. my prediction is that ukrainians will continue to fight russian occupation until it is no more. former ambassador michael mcfaul thank you very much for joining us once again, always appreciate it. thanks for having me. thank you. coming up, in 1967, got up to one of the last television interviews with the reverend martin luther king junior, that is next. or, that is next