MOSCOW: The Belarusian Ministry of Defence revealed on Friday that members of the Russian mercenary group Wagner were acting as military instructors for Belarusian territorial defence forces, just weeks after their failed mutiny in Russia.
According to the ministry, units of territorial defence troops near Asipovichy are undergoing training, which includes tactical shooting, battlefield movement, engineering, and tactical medicine. The ministry confirmed that fighters from the Wagner private military company are serving as instructors in various military disciplines.
Wagner, known for its involvement in the Ukraine offensive, recently attempted to overthrow Russia’s military leadership before eventually backing down. The founder of the group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, whose whereabouts have largely remained unknown, was expected to relocate to neighboring Belarus under an agreement with the Kremlin. Reports from the Belarusian Hajun investigative project suggested that Prigozhin may have spent the night near Asipovichy, where the training drills are taking place, after an image emerged allegedly showing him at the camp.
Belarusian Defence Ministry Releases Video
In a video released by the Belarusian defence ministry, masked Wagner fighters were seen training local forces. Belarusian servicemen expressed their appreciation for the experience, acknowledging that their army has not participated in combat since the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979. They noted that the Wagner fighters could provide valuable lessons and training for their forces.
Yevgeny Prigozhin, targeted by sanctions from the United States and the European Union, operated in the shadows for years but gained prominence following Russia’s military intervention in Ukraine in February 2022. Prigozhin was allowed to recruit fighters from prisons and publicly criticized the Russian military’s leadership, accusing them of incompetence on the battlefield in profanity-laced diatribes.
