London: Fewer than 1,000 “Wagnerites” remaining in Belarus
February 4, 2024
There are probably fewer than 1,000 Wagner PMC mercenaries left on the territory of Belarus, British intelligence reported on Sunday, February 4. According to her, the main task of the “Wagnerites” remains the training and education of the Belarusian army and security forces.
The report notes that Alexander Lukashenko hardly wants to expand the powers of the Wagner fighters and does not plan to use them to protect the country’s border with Ukraine. Furthermore, the presence of mercenaries in Belarus benefits Russia in the war with Ukraine, forcing Kiev to continue to maintain part of its contingent on the northern border in case of another invasion.
Presence of PMC “Wagner” in Belarus
PMC “Wagner” became officially based on the territory of Belarus after Yevgeny Prigozhin’s mutiny on June 24, 2023. Afterwards, he and an army of mercenaries went first to Moscow, but later, allegedly as a result of negotiations with Alexander Lukashenko, he decided to stop the campaign and transfer his PMC to Belarus. According to British intelligence, there were 8,000 Wagner soldiers stationed in the country at that time.
The role of Belarus in the war with Ukraine
From the first day of Russia’s attack on Ukraine, Alexander Lukashenko refrained from directly interfering in the war. However, it was from the territory of Belarus that, on February 24, 2022, part of the Russian troops were brought into Ukraine. Furthermore, the Russian army has repeatedly used the country, installing its military infrastructure there and launching attacks on northern Ukraine from its territory.
Source: DW
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