Former FBI agent Peter Strzok trolls Trump over Russia crisis

Former FBI agent Peter Strzok on Friday trolled Donald Trump amid reports that a conflict between a Russian mercenary army and the nation’s military has escalated into an armed conflict.

“It’s in these moments of sudden global instability that I miss the strategic vision and calm, measured maturity of Donald Trump and his national security advisor Mike Flynn,” Strzok said in a retweet of video that claims to show armored vehicles patrolling the streets of Moscow. The original tweet was posted by geopolitical and national security expert Dmitri Alperovitch. Strzok's comments were clear sarcasm.

“FSB calls on Wagner to ignore Prigozhin’s criminal orders and to assist in his apprehension. Multiple generals making videos calling on them to do the same,” Alperovitch tweeted.

The New York Times reports that Yevgeny V. Prigozhin, who leads the notorious Wagner group, has been accused by Russian military generals of attempting a coup against President Vladimir Putin amid a probe of Progozhin for “organizing an armed rebellion.”

The report describes the confrontation that the biggest challenge to Putin’s authority since he launched his invasion of Ukraine 16 months ago.

Retired C.I.A. officer Mick Mulroy told The Times that Prigozhin poses “a serious challenge” to Putin, noting that the Russian military may need to shift its attention on the Ukrainian counteroffensive to the Russian government’s “self-preservation.”

“Even if this attempted coup fails, it emphatically makes the point that those closest to this war know it was a terrible mistake,” Mulroy said.