Wagner leader arrives in Belarus, confirms President Lukashenko.
Wagner Mercenary Chief Yevgeny Prigozhin Arrives in Belarus
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko announced on Tuesday that Yevgeny Prigozhin, the chief of the Wagner mercenary group, has arrived in Belarus following a brief uprising in Russia.
“Yes, indeed, he is in Belarus today,” Lukashenko confirmed, according to multiple reports that cited Belarusian state media.
The rebellion, which was mediated by Lukashenko, ended over the weekend with a deal that granted Prigozhin and his fighters the option of exile in Belarus after they halted their march on Moscow.
After leaving the southern Russian city of Rostov on Saturday, Prigozhin’s exact whereabouts became unclear. However, he delivered an audio message on Monday defending Wagner’s revolt, which appears to be centered around a standoff with Russia’s military leadership and their handling of the war in Ukraine.
Reports claimed that Prigozhin was staying in a Minsk hotel without any windows, possibly due to a fear of being defenestrated.
Flight trackers and satellite data on Tuesday indicated that two planes belonging to Prigozhin landed at a base outside the Belarusian capital of Minsk.
In addition to announcing Prigozhin’s arrival, Lukashenko stated that some Wagner members are invited to stay at an “abandoned” base in Belarus, highlighting their “invaluable” experience. The Belarusian leader also claimed to have convinced Russian President Vladimir Putin to avoid escalating the conflict.
However, some regional leaders expressed concerns about Wagner’s presence in Belarus. Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda warned that if Wagner deploys its members in Belarus, neighboring countries would face an even greater danger of instability.
While Russia dropped criminal mutiny charges against Wagner members and agreed to hand over military equipment, Putin stated in a speech on Monday that the organizers of the rebellion would be “brought to justice.”
Putin also gave Wagner members the options of entering a contract with the Russian Ministry of Defense or other law enforcement agencies, returning home, or seeking refuge in Belarus.
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