A former CIA analyst said that Russian President Vladimir Putin "staged" Wagner Group chief Yevgeny Prigozhin's march on Moscow to boost his political power, The National Pulse reported.
Former Defense Intelligence Agency and CIA analyst Rebekah Koffler, a Russia native, also said Putin's move was designed to reinforce support for the war in Ukraine.
"What has changed ... in the last few hours? All of a sudden, [Prigozhin] decided to turn his troopers around and made this deal? No, this is all staged," Koffler said, The National Pulse reported.
Koffler said Prigozhin's apparent mutiny also was used to send a message to the U.S. and President Joe Biden.
"[To] demonstrate to President Biden that, no, Russia is not a threat," Koffler said. "Russia is actually ... involved in its own domestic turmoil. But this is all a classic distraction and classic Putin."
What appeared to be the greatest challenge to Putin in his more than two decades in power fizzled after Prigozhin abruptly reached a deal with the Kremlin to go into exile and sounded retreat to his troops on Saturday.
Even as his fighters moved swiftly toward Moscow, Prigozhin did not criticize Putin directly, saying his aim was to oust the Russian defense establishment, which he has denounced as corrupt and incompetent, complaining that it undermined his forces fighting in Ukraine.
Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin said Monday that the country had faced "a challenge to its stability" and must remain united behind Putin after the abortive mutiny by heavily armed mercenary fighters.
The Washington Post reported that the U.S. had intelligence weeks earlier that a Russian mercenary uprising was coming under Prigozhin's Wagner Group and started preparations for potential scenarios, including the fear Russia's nuclear arsenal would be at risk.
The National Pulse reported that U.S. intelligence agencies believe Putin was aware of the Wagner rebellion before the event began Friday. However, the agencies have been confused by Putin's lack of action and willingness to accept a deal with Prigozhin that was brokered by Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko.
The reported agreement included Prigozhin going into exile in Belarus.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
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