Published February 04,2024
Subscribe
About 1,000 fighters with the Russian private military force known as the Wagner Group remain in Belarus to train soldiers and security forces there, the British Defence Ministry said on Sunday in its daily intelligence briefing on the war in Ukraine.
The Wagner mercenaries entered the country in June 2023 after their leader Yevgeny Prigozhin's failed uprising against the Russian military leadership.
Originally, 8,000 fighters from the private army were in Belarus, which is closely allied with Russia, the ministry said.
However, it is unlikely that Belarusian strongman Alexander Lukashenko will utilize the remaining Wagner fighters beyond their current tasks, according to London.
"It is unlikely that Alexander Lukashenko would use the Wagner Group mercenaries beyond their current remit. They are involved in the training of Ministry of Interior troops but are highly unlikely to participate directly in maintaining domestic or border security in Belarus."
Still, the Defence Ministry said that Ukraine is forced to "maintain defensive positions and personnel along its northern border with Belarus to protect from potential future incursions."
The presence of the fighters in Belarus has been a matter of considerable concern since the Russian government-funded group came to Belarus under a deal negotiated after Wagner's brief revolt last year.
Britain has regularly published information on the course of the war based on intelligence reports. Moscow accuses London of disinformation.
