”Relatively Light Punishments for Participants in Prigozhin Rising and Makhachkala Outrage May Lead Others to Engage in Unwelcome Actions , Russian Nationalist Says

Paul Goble

            Staunton, Nov. 7 – The Kremlin’s decision to impose remarkably few penalties on those who took part in the Prigozhin rising and the Makhachkala outrages is part of a dangerous trend, Mikhail Tokmakov says, one that suggests Moscow will avoid coming down hard on those who engage in such things at least until after the 2024 election and the Ukrainian war.

            “Although such an approach has its advantages,” the Russian nationalist commentator says, given that “at least twice this year has it been possible to solve very serious internal crises with minimum losses, it also has its disadvantages,” including the possibility that this will lead to similar actions (topcor.ru/41169-pjanjaschij-gornyj-vozduh-dejstvitelno-li-obstanovka-na-severnom-kavkaze-vyhodit-iz-pod-kontrolja.html).

            According to Tokmakov, “as far as one can judge …no tightening of the screws is to be expected,” and at least some people will try to take advantage of that. “We can only hope,” he continues, “that the lenient approach to all kinds of internal troublemakers will continue to work as effectively as it has up to now.”