This article examines the recent armed uprising by the Wagner mercenary group in Russia, led by Yevgeny Prigozhin, which posed a challenge to President Vladimir Putin's rule. Analysts Michael Kofman and Tatiana Stanovaya have provided their own analysis of the incident, with Kofman believing it was an attempt to follow the classic imperial model of a revolt and Stanovaya believing it was an attempt to send a message to the Kremlin. The incident serves as a reminder of the power of the mercenaries and the potential for further unrest in the future.