Kadyrov, Prigozhin publicly undermine Putin's authority - ISW

The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) states in report dated October 2.

Experts emphasize that federal channels and Kremlin-controlled bloggers were forced to rebuff Kadyrov and Prigozhin.

Thus, against the background of the defeat of the Russians in Liman, Kadyrov accused the Russian military command of the inability to respond quickly to the worsening situation.  He also said that Russia needs to capture the territories of four regions of Ukraine by all available means, including low-power nuclear weapons.

Prigozhin repeated Kadyrov's criticism.

Analysts noted that the West focused on Kadyrov's nuclear threat, but the statements were important for another reason. They defeated the Kremlin's attempts to mitigate the consequences of the defeat.

"Their statements on October 1 had a profound impact on the Russian information space. Together, they broke the Kremlin's narrative, which was trying to soften the blow of the defeat around Liman. Before Kadyrov's statement, the federal media mostly expressed hope that the newly mobilized troops and deployed reinforcements could or would hold the line, or to conduct counterattacks in the near future. But talk shows on federal channels immediately picked up Kadyrov-Prygozhin's statements, which prompted live commentators to intensify their criticism of the military high command," the report says.

Kremlin propagandists had to interrupt the speech of the ex-deputy commander of the Southern Military District of the Russian Federation Andrii Gurulyov, who began to blame the higher military command for the defeat in Liman.

And the statements of Kadyrov and Prigozhin publicly undermine Putin's authority, although this may be done unintentionally, experts add.

"Putin is probably responsible for the decision not only not to strengthen Liman, but also to try to contain it - facts that are probably known to at least a few people in his inner circle. Thus, Kadyrov's direct attack on (Colonel General Oleksandr) Lapin is  an indirect attack on Putin, whether Kadyrov realizes it or not. Putin and his mouthpieces have been extremely tight-lipped about the activities of military commanders or their replacements, which makes Kadyrov's statement and its echoes of Prigozhin particularly noticeable," the Institute writes.

Putin is probably aware of the dangerous path that Kadyrov and Prigozhin have started to follow.

"This was countered by Kremlin-controlled voices and tabloids. Federal TV channels characterized Kadyrov's statements against Lapin as "rather harsh," and tabloids claimed that the Russian Defense Ministry was more responsible for the defeat, saying that Lapin did not command the Lyman garrison," analysts said.