Oleksii Danilov, Secretary of the Security and Defence Council of Ukraine, is convinced that there will be a power struggle between the Armed Forces, the military formations of Yevgeny Prigozhin and Ramzan Kadyrov, as well as the new armed formation of the Russian security forces, and their confrontation will reach the centre of Moscow.

Source: Oleksii Danilov on the air of the national joint 24/7 newscast

Details: Danilov deemed the fact that Sergei Surovikin was pushed into office by Valery Gerasimov, who is called the "architect of special military operation" [i.e., the Russian invasion – ed.], a manifestation of the power struggle.

Quote: "First of all, it is a power struggle. And another thing, we must not forget that Gerasimov is the head of the General Staff in the Russian Armed Forces. This is an increase in the position of not only Gerasimov, but the stakes currently in this war. The next two or three months will be very important and they will be almost decisive in this battle, for which we are preparing, and our enemy, the aggressor, is preparing [as well – ed.]."

Details: Danilov said that the Russian leadership used Kadyrov, used Prigozhin, and when they became useless, they were "moved", and "no one will ask anyone [if they want this – ed.] there today".

The internal disputes that are currently going on in Russia will only escalate, the National Security and Defence Council (RNBO) Secretary believes.

According to Danilov, "it is only a matter of time before a confrontation with the use of firearms, armoured personnel carriers, etc. begins among the Garden Ring [a circular ring road avenue around central Moscow – ed.]."

Quote: "Today, there are already three and a half armies: separately, Kadyrov's Army; separately, Prigozhin's Army; separately, the army that is in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, where neither Kadyrov nor Prigozhin are respected; and separately, the law enforcement agencies that are now trying to form a separate army.

And it's only a matter of time before they start to clash between themselves." 

Details: According to Danilov, a war of private companies in the Russian Federation "will be for sure, because a war for power will begin in Russia".

He noted that Vladimir Putin is also "a very ill person". "As soon as he weakens, and he will weaken every day, the showdown will begin," the NSDC secretary said.

Danilov stressed that the Russian Federation is "not the only monolith", there are many currents that only intensified after 24 February 2022.

Background: 

• In early October 2022, Russian dictator Vladimir Putin appointed Sergei Surovikin as commander of the joint group of troops in Ukraine instead of Alexander Dvornikov.
• On 11 January 2023, Valery Gerasimov, Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, was appointed commander of the joint group of troops in Ukraine, and Sergey Surovikin became his deputy.
• Yevgeny Prigozhin is the founder and sponsor of the private military company Wagner (this PMC is also known as the Wagner Group). It is the driving force behind the current attacks on Bakhmut and Soledar. According to experts, Prigozhin is trying to strengthen the reputation of his private army and fight for power, and the Pentagon calls his target mines salt and gypsum.
• Ramzan Kadyrov, the Chechen leader, supports aggressive war tactics against Ukraine. He convinced Chechens to go to war, convincing them that this was "jihad", a holy war.
• Kadyrov and Prigozhin criticised the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation for military failures in Ukraine.

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