Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko has revealed that Yevgeny Prigozhin, the leader of the Wagner Group, is currently in Russia and not Belarus, BBC reports.
Prigozhin's location has been a mystery since the rebellion. Despite earlier claims that he had arrived in Belarus, Lukashenko stated that Prigozhin is in St. Petersburg, according to recent remarks. The Kremlin responded by saying they are not monitoring Prigozhin's movements. Lukashenko had played a role in brokering the deal to end the rebellion.
The BBC tracked Prigozhin's private jet flying to Belarus, but it remains uncertain if he was on board. Lukashenko also mentioned that the rest of the Wagner fighters are still at their bases, potentially in eastern Ukraine or a training base in Russia's Krasnodar region. The offer to station Wagner fighters in Belarus is still on the table, but Lukashenko acknowledged that the issue of their relocation has not been resolved.
Lukashenko dismissed concerns of a Wagner-led mutiny in Belarus, stating that they would be closely monitored. Russian state TV has criticized Prigozhin, presenting him as a criminal and broadcasting footage allegedly from a raid on his home. Prigozhin's mutiny involved Wagner mercenaries seizing military facilities in Rostov-on-Don before heading toward Moscow, prompting heightened security measures.
The Russian criminal case against Wagner was dropped, and the fighters were given the option to sign regular army contracts, return home, or go to Belarus. Recent satellite images suggest preparations at a former military base near Minsk, but no definitive signs have emerged.
Comments (0)