“Prigozhin is not part of the Siloviki. Should the military and FSB they view him as a threat, when Putin leaves power they can deal with him.”
Prigozhin has his own military powerbase with his Wagner group, which is growing more and more powerful and influential. Putin greatly appreciates Wagner’s efforts in Ukraine. Wagner group does not cut an run in Ukraine. Wagner just opened up a spiffy new modern HQ building in St Petersburg. Wagner group is growing in number of soldiers all the time. They are becoming a parallel military to the regular Russian army.
In short, Prigozhin is insuring his untouchability by the FSB etc. He is one smart calculating cookie.
Prig is a holdover of the petty gangsters of the Russian 90s, except he fell in the right business of arms and sexurity, the only gang business that has staying power.
Russian military incompetence has turned his group into a sort of dark Knight Templar organization that the weak King depends on. End the war and Prig would be butchered and burned at the stake like the Templars by Putin
I would suggest Prig to make sure Russia stays at war in order to grow and avoid a purge of necessity.... hook in jaw, Prig could become Moscow or the third Rome’s Ceasar...