Vocabulary of Mutiny, Mafia and Misery

Players in Russia’s Prigozhin Drama Evoke Periods of Historical Turmoil

Events of June 23-24 2023, when Russian mercenary boss Yevgeniy Prigozhin carried out a short-lived mutiny against the Russian military leadership, shocked the world. Previous Natto Thoughts reporting provided context on Prigozhin and his conflicts with the Russian establishment, as well as scenarios for civil war, coups and other turmoil.

As events involving Prigozhin, Putin, and Russia’s war on Ukraine evolve quickly, many reputable analysts provide ongoing news and insights. These include, among many others, the Institute for the Study of War; Russia Matters; the Jamestown Foundation; and analyses by Mark Galeotti, Tatiana Stanovaya, and Andrei Soldatov and Irina Borogan.

Here Natto Team highlights some Russian terms that have frequently popped up to help comprehend the events surrounding Prigozhin’s mutiny.

• Bardak (бардак), lit. “brothel,” means a mess, often in a mild sense such as a disor…