Understanding Politics So You Never Fall For It (Part 2)

Plausible Deniability

You need something to happen, but it turns out that it’s not legal. Good thing you got a system put in place for situations like this when you don’t want things to link back to you. The initiated will know it’s you but they can never bring you to trial because there is no evidence they can use, by design.

Cyberpunk 2077

Plausible Deniability

For this, the live example we’re going to use is the Russian Government and the private military corporation Wagner Group (PMC Wagner). Russia wants to help separatists forces in eastern Ukraine in 2014. So what are her options? Send your troops in? Nope too much political blowback.. Think, Think, Oh yeah! We can use mercenaries that are not legally connected to us. This is where Wagner Group comes in, why them?

Well… Having a private military is illegal in Russia, Wagner Group is officially headquartered in Argentina. The mercenary group was founded by a Russian oligarch and is fully decked out in Russian military equipment. Any smart person would know that they’re just an arm of the Russian Government. That’s not the point though, just because it’s obvious does not mean you can prove it in court. That’s the whole magic, plausible deniability.

Wagner Group

The US equivalent of guys like this could be Delta Force in the US Army. A group that is obviously US Military but it’s not officially recognized by the United States. Everything they do can be denied. CIA Paramilitary guys also fall into this category.

(Allegedly) Delta

OK… So What Does This All Mean?