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Episode 103: Putin's Secret Army: The Coup That Almost Brought Down Russia (Ep 6)
Date: November 26, 2025
Hosts: David McCloskey & Gordon Corera

Overview

In this gripping finale of their six-part series, hosts David McCloskey and Gordon Corera dissect the dramatic rise and fall of Yevgeny Prigozhin, the mercenary warlord behind the Wagner Group, and the shocking 2023 armed mutiny that nearly upended Vladimir Putin’s grip on Russia. Through firsthand stories, behind-the-scenes intelligence, and razor-sharp analysis, the hosts unravel the extraordinary power struggle at the heart of the Kremlin—and what it revealed about the fragility and toughness of Putin’s Russia.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Prigozhin’s Rise and Conflict with the Military Elite

• After Wagner's key role in Ukraine battles (esp. Soledar, early 2023), Prigozhin's influence surges; he aspires to a place in Putin’s inner circle.
• Tensions spike as the Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD), led by longtime Putin ally Sergei Shoigu, downplays Wagner's achievements, inflaming Prigozhin (“my boys are doing the fighting and dying and they're being abandoned by the top brass” – Carrera, 04:03).
• Shoigu cuts off useful contracts and restricts Wagner’s prison recruitment—Prigozhin feels systematically excluded (“Prigozhin can sense that Shoigu is maneuvering against him” – Carrera, 04:18).

2. Escalation, Smear Campaigns, and Brutal Warfare

• The rivalry escalates: MoD backs alternative mercenaries, and a campaign of personal smears (e.g., rumors about Prigozhin's criminal past) surfaces.
• Bakhmut Battle: Wagner absorbs horrific losses, suspected as part of a MoD strategy to weaken Prigozhin (“one theory is that the Russian military is deliberately trying to weaken Prigozhin… by letting as many of his men fight and die as possible” – Carrera, 08:30).
• Discord Leaks: US intelligence reportedly uncovers Prigozhin offering military intelligence to Ukraine in exchange for withdrawal from Bakhmut—a desperate (and likely deceptive) bid for victory (10:03–10:28).

3. Public Defiance and Viral Outbursts

• By Spring 2023, Prigozhin pivots to open, shocking criticism:
  • “Shoigu, Gerasimov, where is the fucking ammunition?” (Prigozhin, via McCloskey, 11:27)
  • Accuses Russian elites of letting regular soldiers die while “their kids party abroad.”
• References to “the happy grandfather” (12:31)—possible veiled shots at Putin.

4. The Mutiny: March on Moscow

• June 2023: Crisis culminates as MoD orders all volunteer groups to come under direct MoD control—Wagner’s independence is over.
• June 23–24, 2023:
  • Prigozhin claims Russian military attacked Wagner, launches the infamous “march for justice” toward Moscow.
  • FSB is caught off guard by the sudden move; military and security services hedge, not intervening against Wagner (22:32–23:49).
  • “He’s improvising… there’s not a plan… it’s part of a negotiation, not a coup attempt” (McCloskey & Carrera, 24:44–25:07).
• Wagner easily seizes Rostov-on-Don’s military HQ—locals even ask for selfies, and regular troops refuse to engage (“everyone is standing on the sidelines waiting to see how this plays out” – Carrera, 26:13).

5. Putin’s Response and Prigozhin’s Retreat

• Putin denounces Wagner’s actions as “stabbing Russia in the back,” invokes civil war fears; Moscow goes into emergency (“…trying to work out how to respond…” – Carrera, 27:54).
• Prigozhin’s convoy rolls toward Moscow, but he remains back in Rostov as his men advance.
• Crucial mediation by Belarus’s Lukashenko leads to a negotiated climb-down: Wagner halts short of Moscow, Prigozhin and loyalists head to Belarus with immunity, no immediate criminal charges (“a sign of Putin’s weakness at that moment” – Carrera, 35:07).

6. Aftermath and Revenge

• Prigozhin’s popularity plummets; Kremlin gradually dismantles Wagner’s empire, leaks humiliating images (wigs, excess wealth, bizarre trophies) to erode his “man of the people” myth.
• Wagner’s Africa operations are taken over by Russian military, leaving Prigozhin isolated.
• August 23, 2023: Prigozhin and much of Wagner’s senior leadership die in a mysterious plane crash (likely a bomb orchestrated by Russian security services “on the orders of Putin” – Carrera, 44:07).
• The killing is deeply theatrical—a public lesson to potential turncoats (“a very public demonstration of how enemies of Putin and the state are dealt with” – McCloskey, 46:35).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

“Russia stands on the threshold of a catastrophe. If you don't tighten the bolts, the airplane will crumble in midair.”
— David McCloskey (quoting Prigozhin), 02:24

“My boys are doing the fighting and dying and they're being abandoned by the top brass.”
— Gordon Corera (as Prigozhin’s narrative), 04:03

“Shoigu, Gerasimov, where is the fucking ammunition?”
— Yevgeny Prigozhin (quoted by McCloskey), 11:27

“He says the whole justification for the special military operation, the war in Ukraine, is a lie… wild stuff, isn’t it?”
— Corera, 23:37

“Only people on the Internet will support you. No one will go with you.”
— Prigozhin’s mother, Violetta, via Corera, 26:00

“It’s a march for justice, David. Who wouldn’t join a march for justice on Moscow led by a bunch of ex-convicts?”
— McCloskey & Corera, 24:21–24:28

“For hours you thought, Putin’s going to fall, there’s going to be civil war… and then suddenly, it’s literally over. It’s amazing.”
— Corera, 34:32

“He was a talented person who made mistakes. As if launching a coup or a mutiny was like… a poor post on social media.”
— Corera (on Putin’s eulogy for Prigozhin), 46:54

“These states look stable until suddenly they're not.”
— Corera, 53:02

Key Timestamps

• 02:24–03:29: Series recap & framing Prigozhin’s ambitions.
• 04:03–05:05: Conflict with Shoigu, birth of rivalry with MoD.
• 08:28–10:28: Bakhmut battle and suspicions of sabotage; shocking casualties.
• 11:27–12:33: Viral videos; open accusations and insubordination.
• 21:25–26:13: The June 23–24, 2023 mutiny unfolds—Wagner’s march, inaction by military.
• 27:54–29:50: Putin's denunciation and Wagner’s rapid approach to Moscow.
• 34:32–35:07: Prigozhin’s surrender and immunity deal—“an amazingly good deal.”
• 43:11–46:54: Prigozhin’s death, theories, and Putin’s message of payback.
• 48:38–54:02: Systemic lessons: autocratic brittleness, risk of empowering mercenaries.

Analysis & Final Takeaways

• The episode excels at humanizing the paranoia and pressure of Putin’s Russia under internal strain.
• Prigozhin’s arc, from prison-yard bravado to would-be kingmaker to flamboyant demise, exposes not only individual hubris but also the limits of Putin’s “hub and spoke” system.
• Both hosts agree: what outwardly appears monolithic and impregnable (the Kremlin’s regime) is, in reality, brittle beneath the surface—prone to sudden, unexpected shocks when “entrepreneurial psychopaths” like Prigozhin break the rules.
• Putin ultimately prevails, but only after a series of high-risk gambles and compromised stability—“an enterprising… psychopath can potentially do incredible damage” (McCloskey, 53:02).

For a deeper dive on Putin’s roots and the anatomy of Kremlin power struggles, the hosts invite listeners to explore further episodes at their declassified club.

This summary captures the urgency, dark humor, and expert analysis of the episode—essential listening for anyone seeking to understand Russia’s shadow wars and those who wage them.