UK is developing scenarios in case of Russia’s collapse 

The Times reported the information, citing informed sources.

A source in the British government said that since the beginning of the full-scale war, London has been anticipating the possibility of destabilization in Russia.

However, according to the source, the pace of events since Prigozhin announced his "march on Moscow" has prompted diplomats to quickly prepare for various scenarios.

"We have to wait, watch and see what comes next. This could be chapter one of something new," the source said.

According to John Foreman, the country's former military attaché in Moscow, a successful seizure of power by Prigozhin would be “the worst case scenario."

There should not be any illusions that he is a more liberal, peaceful democrat, because “he is a fascist," Foreman said.

Foreman added that Prigozhin's "march on Moscow" caught London by surprise.

According to the former representative of the Ministry of Defense, Lord Richards of Herstmonceux, Russian leader Vladimir Putin, despite Prigozhin's blow to his authority, is still a dangerous opponent for the West, who should not be underestimated.

Former British Ambassador to Russia Roderic Lyne believes that Wagner's coup has reduced Putin's chances of remaining president for life, but adds that he still holds onto his position.

Prigozhin's coup in Russia

For several months, there has been a conflict between Yevgeny Prigozhin, the financier of Wagner PMC, and the Russian Ministry of Defense. However, the situation escalated quickly on the evening of June 23.

Allegedly, Russian troops launched a missile attack on the Wagner base. Yevgeny Prigozhin, the leader of the Wagner PMC, announced a "march of justice" and stated that 25,000 mercenaries were heading to Moscow after the Russian leadership refused to hand over Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov.

On Saturday, June 24, in addition to Rostov-on-Don, where they initially gathered around the headquarters of the Southern Military District, the Wagner group also took control of Voronezh. Their convoys, which had diverted from the Ukrainian border, were moving towards Moscow. Military aircraft and artillery under Shoigu's control attempted to stop them. The units of Wagner PMC were last spotted in the Lipetsk region. In Moscow itself, defensive positions were established, trenches were dug, and all security forces were mobilized.

However, on the evening of June 24, the press service of the self-proclaimed President of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, released a statement in which the head of the Wagner PMC stated that he was ready to stop the advance of his mercenaries' military convoys, which were already approaching Moscow, and to reach an agreement with the Kremlin. Prigozhin allegedly agreed on this during a conversation with Lukashenko.

Instead, Prigozhin announced that the Wagner group had stopped their advance and returned to their field camps before reaching 200 km from Moscow. He stated, "In a day, we traveled without reaching 200 km to Moscow. During this time, no blood was shed. However, the moment may come when blood will be spilled. Therefore, taking full responsibility, we are turning our columns around and heading back to the field camps as planned."

Subsequently, Prigozhin and all his fighters left the headquarters of Russia's Southern Military District. Russian leader Vladimir Putin promised that Prigozhin would be able to go to Belarus, and Russia would close the criminal case against him.

The deal reached through Lukashenko's mediation is likely to eliminate the Prigozhin-led Wagner PMC in its current form, although some elements of the organization may continue to exist under the Russian Defense Ministry, according to the Institute for the Study of War.