Wagner founder Prigozhin is in Belarus, President Lukashenko confirms

Founder of Wagner private mercenary group Yevgeny Prigozhin. Credit: Reuters Photo

The founder of Russia's mercenary Wagner group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, is now in Belarus, Belarusian state news agency BELTA quoted President Alexander Lukashenko as saying on Tuesday.

Under a deal mediated by Lukashenko on Saturday that ended a mutiny in Russia by the Wagner fighters, Prigozhin was meant to move to Belarus, while his men were given the choice of joining him or being integrated into Russia's regular armed forces.

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Lukashenko also said his defence minister, Viktor Khrennikov, had told him he would not mind having a unit like Wagner in the Belarusian army. The Belarusian leader instructed Khrennikov to negotiate with Prigozhin on the matter.

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