Wagner Group Insurrection Shows Weaknesses in Russian Government

This past weekend, the Russian government experienced the most direct challenge to its rule since the fall of Soviet Union in 1991 when the head of the mercenary Wagner Group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, took control of some Russian cities and ordered his troops to advance towards Moscow. The advance was called off after Prigozhin agreed to an agreement brokered by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, with the Wagner Group withdrawing from occupied cities and the criminal charges against Prigozhin dropped.

The Wagner Group is a private military company (PMC) that since 2014 has operated closely with the Russian government and other governments in operations across the world, from the Central African Republic to Syria to Venezuela. Wagner troops have been heavily involved in the war in Ukraine, with some troops suspected of committing war crimes in the course of the war. Prigozhin is known for recruiting from prisons to fill his ranks, with the promise of amnesty after a six-month deployment.

Prigozhin had long been one of Putin’s closest associates, originally heading a catering company with a number of government and military contracts. Since then, he has transformed Wagner Group into a military juggernaut, which this weekend challenged the Russian military for dominance. Prigozhin has for months expressed frustration with the leadership of the Russian military, claiming they have mishandled the war and failed to provide his troops ammunition.

While the attempted rebellion failed to take control of the Russian government or depose top military leaders, it was the greatest internal challenge to Putin’s rule since he first took power in 2000.

 

Investigation Begins in Implosion of Submersible

The US Coast Guard has launched an investigation into the implosion of lost submersible Titan, which was created by private company Oceangate to take tourists to see the wreck of the Titanic. The investigation will also include involvement from authorities in Canada, the United Kingdom, and France.

 Five crew members, including Oceangate CEO Rush Stockton, died on the trip, likely during the descent on June 18, when the submersible lost communication with the ship on the surface.

Stockton and Oceangate had faced criticism and concerns over the perceived lack of attention to safety in the construction of their submersibles, using commercial-of-the-shelf materials and a carbon fiber hull. Unlike steel and similar materials, carbon fiber does not have strong compression strength, which made it unsuitable for use in deep sea navigation, where high water pressure can lead to failure of the vehicle.

The US Navy had picked up audio consistent with an implosion on June 18, and confirmed that disovered debris was from the Titan on June 22. Wreckage is now being recovered.

 

Midwestern Air Quality Drops as Canadian Wildfire Smoke Moves South

Midwestern states are facing an onslaught of smoke from Canadian wildfires, experiencing the same phenomenon that eastern states endured earlier this month. 

Residents of Chicago experienced the worst air quality in the world as 488 wildfires send their smoke into the US, 259 of which are deemed as ‘out of control’ by the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Center. Other local and state authorities have issued advisories on the hazardous air conditions, advising residents to stay indoors.