John Lechner

You know, an insane risk tolerance, you know, from going after, you know, going against Americans in the Battle of Kasham and, you know, risking his neck saying he's going to take Bakhmut like this was perhaps the one moment where he should have doubled down and gone all the way to Moscow. But he chose not to.

You know, an insane risk tolerance, you know, from going after, you know, going against Americans in the Battle of Kasham and, you know, risking his neck saying he's going to take Bakhmut like this was perhaps the one moment where he should have doubled down and gone all the way to Moscow. But he chose not to.

And that sealed his fate, ultimately, three months later.

And that sealed his fate, ultimately, three months later.

And that sealed his fate, ultimately, three months later.

Because that's how you make big money in Russia is by skimming off of the state budgets. So everything is a battle over the flow of budget. Because the more budget that comes your way, the more you can mine your own plots.

Because that's how you make big money in Russia is by skimming off of the state budgets. So everything is a battle over the flow of budget. Because the more budget that comes your way, the more you can mine your own plots.

Because that's how you make big money in Russia is by skimming off of the state budgets. So everything is a battle over the flow of budget. Because the more budget that comes your way, the more you can mine your own plots.

And so one of the ways that people were making money in Donbass in 2014, 2015, is you're a commander and you tell the Ministry of Defense, oh, I have 200 guys under my command. The Ministry of Defense pays your salaries, but you actually have 150 or 125 guys under your command.

And so one of the ways that people were making money in Donbass in 2014, 2015, is you're a commander and you tell the Ministry of Defense, oh, I have 200 guys under my command. The Ministry of Defense pays your salaries, but you actually have 150 or 125 guys under your command.

And so one of the ways that people were making money in Donbass in 2014, 2015, is you're a commander and you tell the Ministry of Defense, oh, I have 200 guys under my command. The Ministry of Defense pays your salaries, but you actually have 150 or 125 guys under your command.

I think a lot of people would put it on the FSB, which is the Russian successor to the KGB, which handles domestic threats for Putin.

I think a lot of people would put it on the FSB, which is the Russian successor to the KGB, which handles domestic threats for Putin.

I think a lot of people would put it on the FSB, which is the Russian successor to the KGB, which handles domestic threats for Putin.

So everything became subordinate to the Ministry of Defense. But the thing was, as we were talking about, the relationship between Wagner and the state was also different in each place. And so in Syria, like when Marat was there, you know, they get everything from the Ministry of Defense. They're probably paid through the Ministry of Defense. They're working very closely.

So everything became subordinate to the Ministry of Defense. But the thing was, as we were talking about, the relationship between Wagner and the state was also different in each place. And so in Syria, like when Marat was there, you know, they get everything from the Ministry of Defense. They're probably paid through the Ministry of Defense. They're working very closely.

So everything became subordinate to the Ministry of Defense. But the thing was, as we were talking about, the relationship between Wagner and the state was also different in each place. And so in Syria, like when Marat was there, you know, they get everything from the Ministry of Defense. They're probably paid through the Ministry of Defense. They're working very closely.

They have Russian air power that support. I mean, this is like a Ministry of Defense operation. when you get to like the Central African Republic, there's not as much support from the Kremlin. And so... Some kind of autonomy. There's a degree of independence. They're opening up breweries, like Ministry of Defense doesn't want breweries, or they have these gold mines.

They have Russian air power that support. I mean, this is like a Ministry of Defense operation. when you get to like the Central African Republic, there's not as much support from the Kremlin. And so... Some kind of autonomy. There's a degree of independence. They're opening up breweries, like Ministry of Defense doesn't want breweries, or they have these gold mines.

They have Russian air power that support. I mean, this is like a Ministry of Defense operation. when you get to like the Central African Republic, there's not as much support from the Kremlin. And so... Some kind of autonomy. There's a degree of independence. They're opening up breweries, like Ministry of Defense doesn't want breweries, or they have these gold mines.