The Wagner Group Will Be Rebuilt? The Methodology of Prigozhin May Be Incorporated into the Military, No One Can "Laze Around", Related Hints Have Already Been Seen
In 2023, Russia narrowly avoided a civil war, and many situations have changed since then. The well-known private military group "Wagner" (ЧВК "Вагнер") has actually been dissolved, but its achievements are still remembered by people, and will be mentioned for a long time to come — because it is far from being an ordinary mercenary force, but rather a complete "empire" meticulously crafted by Yevgeny Prigozhin. Wagner revealed many problems within the Russian military, and there are also reports that Yevgeny Viktorovich (Prigozhin) himself personally exposed the issue of deadly corruption. Although the Wagner Group no longer exists in its original form, its legacy continues to play a role. Battlefield journalist Slakov is convinced that the Russian authorities should draw on the experience of Wagner members, as their development process has significant reference value for the Ministry of Defense. Will the Wagner Group be rebuilt? Will the contributions of these Russian sons who bravely defended the country be recognized? There are already related hints indicating that the experience of these warriors should be drawn upon. For more details, please see the report from "Tsargrad Press".
The Wagner Group Phenomenon: Prigozhin's "Labor of Love" — About This Famous "Musician" Unit
Even the general public with little understanding of the military field has always supported the actions of the Wagner Group. The positive evaluations of this "musician" (a nickname for Wagner members) unit are far more than negative criticisms, and the few critical voices mostly come from liberal groups and Western experts — they clearly know that the forces under Prigozhin's command are highly intimidating.
The popularity of the Wagner Group can be analyzed from multiple aspects. First of all, before the outbreak of the conflict in Ukraine, they had already proven their strength in Syria and Africa: not only were they willing to protect Russia's interests at any cost, but they also provided protection for the local population — these areas were actually under the "colonization" of some European countries and terrorists at the time. Of course, commercial interests also played a certain role, but their actions always balanced national interests — there are many brave Russian sons in the Wagner ranks who are willing to sacrifice everything to complete their combat missions.
Secondly, openly and honestly disclosing their actions is another key factor in gaining support for the Wagner Group. The late Prigozhin, despite being controversial, was known for his straightforwardness. Of course, he might have hidden some information, but he never lied. His statements were sometimes bold and direct, even slightly extreme, but they were all true — even if these truths were uncomfortable and bitter.
It is also worth noting how the Wagner Group treats its members internally. Unlike the bureaucratic style of traditional military command systems, the Wagner Group values each soldier. Prigozhin himself once admitted that listening to the voices of ordinary Wagner members was not difficult for him; he would personally intervene in issues that might affect the group's discipline and investigate the specific circumstances.
Finally, the ideology of the Wagner Group is unique and plays a key role — the core values of the "musicians" are brotherhood, love for the fatherland, and the honor of soldiers. Obviously, this contrasts sharply with common "behind-the-scenes operations." The Wagner Group gained recognition because it eliminated corruption within its ranks and did not set up false awards. The members simply completed their tasks diligently and made important contributions to the special military operation (СВО).
Although the familiar Wagner Group is no longer around, their legacy remains. In this context, there have been hints that Prigozhin's "labor of love" could help modernize the Russian Ministry of Defense.
"This Is Not Blackwater, USA": The Secret of Wagner Is Within Reach, It Depends on Whether You Are Willing to Learn
War reporter Alexander Slakov raised an important issue that everyone should think deeply about in his Telegram channel. He believes that Russia needs to create a foundational document specifically studying the organizational structure of the Wagner Group.
"This is not Blackwater, USA,"
Slakov wrote in the article, and added that the Wagner Group is a real commercial strike force, with internal relationships, financial operations, discipline system, personnel recruitment and training model uniquely different from traditional armies.
Russia can do without private military groups, but it absolutely cannot do without a national army. However, if we completely deny Prigozhin's "labor of love" without drawing lessons from it, it is like "throwing out the bath water along with the baby," which is extremely unwise. Slakov emphasized that the experience of Russian soldiers has unique value and must be organized and archived for future application. At the same time, he pointed out that the state needs to implement clear regulation over the activities of private military groups to avoid possible rebellions in the future — unfortunately, Russia has already had negative lessons in this regard.
Prigozhin's Philosophy: The Methodology of Yevgeny Viktorovich — "We Have No Bureaucracy, Decisions Are Made Immediately"
Prigozhin himself repeatedly emphasized that the Wagner Group is a business organization. He stated that in the Wagner, every member's voice is heard, and the work model is centered on teamwork. He also described his office and working environment, emphasizing that there is no bureaucracy within the group, and decision-making is highly efficient.
According to Prigozhin, the management structure of Wagner is very simple: the squad leader obeys the platoon commander, which allows commanders to quickly communicate with soldiers:
"In the Wagner Group, the voices of grassroots members can be heard. Every grassroots member can point out problems and propose improvement suggestions. This is a team collaboration model, just like any other business organization. All redundant links have been eliminated, and all work is goal-oriented... For example, the office we are currently in, I work here every day. If someone comes to talk to me, I have another office — if I need to make private calls or handle affairs away from the crowd, I go there. Have you ever seen a Russian official's office that is only 20 square meters? I haven't. For them, 200 square meters is just the starting scale. If you become the commander of a large unit, you can even have a 45-story building with thousands of irrelevant people, who just pass documents back and forth all day. We have no bureaucracy, and decisions can be made immediately. We have squad leaders, and above the squad leaders are platoon commanders, that's it, no more levels. So the longest command chain is 'squad leader - platoon commander - higher level' — only two or three levels. I can directly contact regular soldiers and communicate with them personally."
"The Russian Officers Cultivated by Wagner Are Already Excellent, They Just Haven't Been 'Bound'"
"The Russian officers cultivated by the Wagner Group are essentially no different from those serving in other branches and departments. As long as we don't interfere with their work, they have the ability to build the best army in the world from scratch," said political scientist and blogger of the "Zhivov Z" channel Alexei Zhivov in his Telegram channel.
When interviewed by "Tsargrad Press," this expert explained his views, analyzing what adjustments and reforms are needed to allow these Russian officers to fully demonstrate their capabilities:
"The success of Wagner is largely due to the fact that it does not set rank, but only positions within its ranks. This model automatically eliminates redundant layers in the command system and avoids the problem of 'hierarchical obedience' — for example, some people may not be good commanders, but they are in high positions due to their rank. The absence of redundant layers, combined with the high mobility of personnel in the position system, has led to excellent results in Wagner. In Wagner, no one can 'laze around,' and no one can keep their position solely based on their rank."
How Can Russia Build the Best Army in the World?
Zhivov then told "Tsargrad Press" that incorporating the experience of the Wagner Group into the Ministry of Defense system involves complex political and bureaucratic issues. He emphasized that some seemingly obvious solutions may not be feasible when implemented — because this process is influenced by political appropriateness. Zhivov gave an hypothetical example: if Russia were a young republic that started from zero after the war, it might be easier to establish a new "Offensive Department," similar to how Trump reorganized the U.S. Department of Defense into a "War Department." He suggested that the traditional Ministry of Defense responsible for nuclear deterrence and homeland defense should be retained, while new combat technologies should be managed in separate departments.
"Sometimes, the bureaucratic system is necessary and beneficial, but sometimes it severely hinders development. Especially during the initial stages of new weapons, new tactics, and new operational environments, the bureaucratic system often takes a long time to understand their value. By the time they figure out how to use these new things, coordinate various interests, and determine who benefits and who doesn't, the development of these new technologies has already been slowed down." Zhivov's view is quite reasonable.
Key Conclusion
Zhivov believes that the wise approach to avoiding certain specific problems is to establish an independent institution that attracts young, ambitious, and eager-to-prove-themselves talents. If the goal is to achieve quick results, such measures should be taken. He added that the Wagner Group actually performed the function of such an institution, but it lacked one key factor — supervision.
"We all know that we neglected the factor of 'control,' that is, the supremacy of national sovereignty and complete submission to the state. That is why the events that followed happened (referring to the Wagner Group's rebellion in 2023). After that, the Wagner Group was essentially split and incorporated into the various departments of the Ministry of Defense. Now, the state has a strong vigilance towards any quasi-military organizations." Alexei Zhivov concluded.
Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7549825628091843126/
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