[donquixote99]

For reasons, Putin would like to end the war with Ukraine. It's never going to work out like he wanted, it's costing 16 fortunes a minute, and there's some risk of a big military fiasco, Ukrainians breaking through, etc. And he's tired and maybe has health issues. BUT, he doesn't dare back down, it would be just too embarrassing, might give political rivals an opportunity, etc. So, how to get out of this mess?

Crazy plan: have his crazy Wagner group commander stage a "coup." Contrived to "succeed." Prigozhin storms in and purges a bunch of generals, who are blamed for the Ukraine fiasco. But Prigozhin doesn't totally oust Putin--loyal to Russia's great leader, he defends him as the victim of bad advice from the corrupt generals. Prigozhin takes power in a Warlord role, but Putin is kept on as a "head of state," who is now taking a well-earned semi-retirement. Prigozhin, not Putin, has to eat all the crow at the Ukrainian Peace Talks; Putin just shows up to sign the armistice papers. Putin gets out of his fiasco and gets to spend his golden years in luxurious peace. It's a scheme totally worthy of the old KGB officer who now owns Russia.

(I don't expect this to be a bit real. I expect Prigozhin to be dead very soon. But this is so crazy, I had to share....)