Uneasy Calm in Russia as Former Texas Rep. Will Hurd Criticizes Biden Administration’s Response to War in Ukraine

On Monday, there was an uneasy calm in Russia as state TV attempted to present an image of normalcy in the ongoing war in Ukraine. This follows a remarkable challenge to the authority of President Vladimir Putin over the weekend, when his long-time associate Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of the Wagner mercenary group, threatened to march all the way to Moscow.

Former Texas Republican Rep. Will Hurd, who is running for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination, voiced his disappointment with the Biden administration’s handling of the situation on Sunday. Hurd said that the White House’s response of “actively monitoring” the situation was inadequate. He added that the U.S. should have been planning with the Ukrainians on how to take advantage of the opportunity.

Tension had been growing between Prigozhin and Russia’s top military officials for weeks, with the businessman lambasting senior generals as inept, at best, and even treasonous in his regular video-taped rants posted to social media. U.S. officials confirmed to CBS that they had intelligence reports that suggested the mutiny was going forward.

The challenge to Putin’s strongman image was ultimately unsuccessful, but it is a reminder of the instability in the region. It remains to be seen how the Biden administration will respond to the situation and what the implications will be for the future of the region.