July 20, 2023 – Update. In an unprecedented move, the head of Britain’s MI6, Richard Moore, has given a speech — for some reason, in Prague — for the first time confirming that Vladimir Putin and Yevgeny Prigozhin made a deal on June 24th to end Prigozhin’s rebellion against the Russian military without ending his life, and simultaneously to save Putin’s political skin. He also indicated that Prigozhin had, indeed, been “welcomed” into the Kremlin just days later to meet with Mr. Putin.

Moore — apparently euphemistically known within MI6 as “C” (not coincidentally bringing to mind James Bond’s “M”) — said that “Prigozhin started off I think, as a traitor at breakfast. He had been pardoned by supper and then a few days later, he was invited for tea.” Actually, if “C” has read his Dostoevsky, he shouldn’t be at all surprised at the twists and turns of Russia’s centuries-old, masterfully diabolical methods of plotting and skin-saving.

But this still leaves us with the unanswered questions of Prigozhin’s present whereabouts and his likely future. According to Mr. Moore, when asked whether Prigozhin was “alive and healthy,” he replied that MI6’s understanding is that he is still “floating around.”

That answer, of course, simply leads to more speculation. Is he indeed in Belarus? Back in St. Petersburg? Hiding in a Ukrainian field of sunflowers? Backstage at a Taylor Swift concert? Or hanging out on a Russian military warship in Havana? Each possibility seems more ridiculous than the last, but with Yevgeny Prigozhin, I’ve come to the conclusion that nothing — absolutely nothing — is impossible.

To quote Mr. Spock of Star Trek fame, “If you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.” In the case of Mr. Prigozhin, that leaves an infinite number of options to consider — an exhausting prospect indeed. But as distant bystanders, we’re better off remaining on the sidelines and seeing what happens next. I, for one, can hardly wait.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
7/20/23