The Russians have suffered ‘nearly 300,000 dead, or casualties or desertions’ and Putin has ‘reputational damage’

Almost ‘300,000 dead, casualties of desertions’ and Putin has ‘reputational damage’ in the Russian army

Vladimir Putin undoubtedly is suffering “reputational damage” after Saturday’s mutiny by Wagner forces and non of the original “army commanders” who started in the war “are still in place” as they were “all fired.”

Former Prime Minister Liz Truss has called on the government to ensure there are plans in place should the there be an “implosion of Russia.”

The Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said that there is now an “unprecedented challenge to President Putin’s authority.”

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Truss said in the Commons, “We, and our allies – including the Ukrainians, including the Poles, including the Baltic states – need to make sure that we have a plan in the case of the implosion of Russia.”

Cleverl said, “the leadership of Russia is for the Russian people.

“We do not speculate or attempt to predict – what we do is plan and put in place contingency arrangements

“And so therefore, whatever the outcome of this conflict is, we shall be prepared.”

The Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said, “It was just another example of the cracks we have been seeing in public discourse where an anger amongst generals – I mean, I can’t remember how many generals have been fired or replaced by Russia and Russian leadership.

“If you remember early on, I think not a single one of the original sector or army commanders who started the invasion are still in place.

“I think they were all fired over this period.

“And then, of course, any army who suffers nearly 300,000 dead, or casualties, or desertions, cannot expect to get away with reputational damage and indeed friction among its leadership about why and how who’s telling the truth, who’s not.

“And you know, Prigozhin just articulated that as a free agent.”