The Kremlin's corridors are echoing with the claims that Russian leader Vladimir Putin clandestinely commissioned Yevgeny Prigozhin, chief of the notorious Wagner mercenary outfit, with a sinister task to assassinate Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. These allegations surfaced following a botched coup in Moscow, involving Prigozhin's mercenaries, which took place on June 24, with Western intelligence confirming a secret summit between Putin and Prigozhin five days later.

Confidential sources reveal that this meeting involved 35 attendees, including leaders from both Putin and Prigozhin's sides. While the precise details of the meeting remain under wraps, insider accounts suggest the discussions were centered on the mercenary outfit's actions during the ill-fated coup attempt and the consequent Special Military Operation. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed the meeting, noting Putin's assessment of the company's actions and potential future roles for the commanders.

Nobel laureate and distinguished Russian journalist Dmitry Muratov voiced concerns that Prigozhin might orchestrate an "atrocity for the benefit of Russia," possibly in an attempt to restore his tarnished image with the Kremlin. Muratov suggested that an assassination attempt on Zelenskyy might be on the cards, a move that could dramatically alter the geopolitical chessboard.

Curiously, contrary to previous reports of Prigozhin's fleeing to Belarus post-coup, evidence suggests that he has remained within Russian borders. NATO's leader, Jens Stoltenberg, disclosed that the alliance is closely tracking the movements of Wagner soldiers and Prigozhin himself, stating, "There was no sign of a big movement to Belarus."

The Kremlin's initial intent to charge Prigozhin with treason and send his forces to Belarus appears to have been set aside, with Prigozhin reportedly reinstated within the Russian power sphere, an outcome that might be connected to the covert meeting between Putin and Prigozhin.

The Wagner force remains unbroken, and the secret agreement between Putin and Prigozhin, fondly referred to as Putin's "chef," possibly explains this unexpected turn of events. This assembly was also attended by senior figures such as General Viktor Zolotov, head of the Russian National Guard, Sergei Naryshkin, chief of the SVR Russian foreign intelligence agency, and leading Wagner commanders.

The unfolding developments have fanned the flames of speculation, painting a grim picture of future events in the region. The Kremlin's alleged tacit approval of such shadowy assignments raises serious concerns over the sanctity of international norms and the escalation of regional tensions.