Are we on the brink of World War III?

The death of Yevgeny Prigozhin -head of Wagner- has not been confirmed to be of Putin’s orders, but is very likely considering he believes “ revenge is best served cold”. Putin’s continuation of employing non-state organisations to do his dirty work not only illustrates his distrust or even scepticism in state institutions, but also shows a dependency on unofficial connections. Employing the Wagner mercenary- a non-state military group- violates Russian criminal code further showing Putin’s carelessness of rules and regulations. Without genuine order, and rules which are abided by, how can we say Russia is a normal state? Murdering all dissidents utilising cruel techniques only further solidifies the mafia-like operations conducted on a daily basis. So the question of whether Russia is led by a mafia leader is a relevant one. And if this continues, will World War III be on the horizon as a consequence?

https://www.economist.com/europe/2023/08/23/yevgeny-prigozhins-reported-death-may-consolidate-putins-power