Russia

Belarus Says Wagner Fighters Training Its Troops

JUL 15 2023·Updated AUG 27

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Image credit: Wikimedia Commons

The Facts

On Friday, Belarus said fighters from Russia's Wagner mercenary group were training its soldiers at a military range about 56 miles southeast of the capital Minsk.
France 24
In a statement, the Belarusian defense ministry said: "Fighters of the Wagner private military company are acting as instructors in a number of military disciplines," adding a road map is being developed "on training and sharing experience" between several units.
Kyiv Post
A video released by the ministry shows what appeared to be masked Wagner mercenaries instructing Belarusian soldiers living in a tent camp near Asipovichy. One of the instructors reportedly had a Matryoshka doll symbol on his helmet, typically used by the group's fighters.
Reuters
Though Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin hasn't been seen in public since he left Russia on June 24, his fighters continue to reach Belarus in large numbers, reportedly to fulfill the terms of the deal that ended the short-lived mutiny.
Reuters
Meanwhile, Ukrainian Pres. Volodymyr Zelensky said that Kyiv was "closely monitoring what is happening there in terms of security," stating the country's focus is on the frontline as "there are no large-scale threats."
President
The development comes after Russian Pres. Vladimir Putin announced that "Wagner PMC does not exist" as a distinct legal entity as Kremlin has no law on private military companies.
TASS

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The Spin

Anti-Russia narrative

While the failed mutiny appeared to spell a victory for Ukraine, this latest development suggests otherwise. The deployment of Prigozhin's fighters in Belarus could make it a new staging ground for the Wagner group to attack Kyiv. The threat of an invasion from one of the most aggressive Russian assault forces is real as Belarus continues to support Russia in its war against Ukraine.

Express.co.uk

Pro-Russia narrative

Wagner fighters are training Belarus' defense forces to enhance their combat capabilities under special conditions, including the fight against illegal armed groups and insurgents. Instructing soldiers in tactical shooting, moving on the battlefield, engineering, and tactical medicine doesn't tantamount to planning an attack on Ukraine.

TASS