Wagner manager Prigozhin remains in Russia, Belarus ruler Lukashenko says

Wagner manager Yevgeny Prigozhin – who led a temporary disobedience in Russia last month – remains in Russia and not Belarus, the leader of Belarus says.

Prigozhin’s location have actually been a secret considering that the mutiny.

Under the deal to end the stand-off, charges versus him were dropped and he was provided a transfer to Belarus.

But on Thursday Belarus leader Alexander Lukashenko said: “As for Prigozhin, he remains in St Petersburg. He is not on the area of Belarus.”

In action to Mr Lukashenko’s mentions the Kremlin said it was “not following” Prigozhin’s motions.

Mr Lukashenko had actually assisted broker the deal to end the mutiny, and simply over a week back said Prigozhin had actually shown up in Belarus.

The BBC tracked Prigozhin’s personal jet flying to Belarus in late June, and going back to Russia the very same night.

It has actually considering that made a number of flights in between St Petersburg and Moscow – although it is unclear if Prigozhin has actually been on board. The BBC likewise can’t confirm Mr Lukashenko’s declare about the Wagner leader’s existing place.

On Thursday Mr Lukashenko included that “as far as I understand” the remainder of the Wagner fighters were still at their bases – which might consist of eastern Ukraine or a training base in Russia’s Krasnodar area.

The Belarus leader said a deal for Wagner to station a few of its fighters in Belarus – a possibility that has actually alarmed neighbouring Nato nations – still stands and he has actually provided a number of Soviet-period military websites for their usage.

“But Wagner have a various vision,” he said, including: “Of course I will not inform you about that.”

“At present, the problem of their moving has actually not been solved.”

The Wagner Group is a personal army of mercenaries that has actually been combating together with the routine Russian army in Ukraine.

In his address Mr Lukashenko said he was not worried about having Wagner fighters in Belarus, including they would remain in the nation on “specific conditions”.

“The primary condition is that if we require to trigger them for the defence of our nation, then that will be done immediately, in any instructions,” Mr Lukashenko said as he applauded Wagner’s “experience”.

But, he dismissed any possible hazard of a Wagner-led mutiny in Belarus.

“All sorts of things occur in life, however I do not see that circumstance in the meantime.

“If they come here, we will pay attention to them,” the Belarusian leader said.

Mr Lukashenko has actually ruled Belarus considering that 1994 and is commonly believed to have actually rigged 2020 elections to preserve power.

On Wednesday, Russian state television appeared to switch on Prigozhin, with analysts throughout a number of networks assaulting the Wagner Group mutiny as a premeditated act of treachery.

On NTV, anchors focused on Prigozhin’s character, representing him as a greedy and violent minor burglar and describing his past as being “abundant in criminality”.

On Rossiya 1 – among Russia’s most popular networks – hosts required Prigozhin to deal with “responsibility” for his disobedience and shared images from what authorities said was a raid on his home in St Petersburg.

One clip revealed a big stash of weapons – consisting of attack rifles, handguns and ammo – set out on a bed.

In other clips, big stacks of money and gold bars, wigs and phony passports coming from the Wagner chief were revealed. Footage of a sledgehammer presumably coming from Prigozhin – most likely describing the one utilized to eliminate a Wagner deserter a number of months ago – was relayed.

However, some Telegram channels related to the Wagner Group have actually declared that the videos were staged and your house in concern does not come from the mercenary manager.

Prigozhin’s mutiny saw Wagner mercenaries cross from field camps in Ukraine into the southern city of Rostov-on-Don, taking command of some military centers.

Wagner fighters then took a trip north towards Moscow, triggering the Kremlin to present tighter security in numerous areas, consisting of the capital.

Russian President Vladimir Putin later on said Russian pilots were killed throughout the mutiny and it likewise seems the case that a number of airplane were destroyed.

Mr Putin at first implicated the group of treason, however under the deal that brought an end to the mutiny, Prigozhin was guaranteed security and the Russian criminal case versus Wagner was dropped.

Its fighters were informed they might either sign routine army agreements, go home or head to Belarus.