President Volodymyr Zelensky said that the move of some members of the Russian private military company Wagner to Belarus does not pose a threat to the Ukrainian side.
According to Interfax-Ukraine , President Zelensky believes that the move of Wagner members to Belarus does not pose a threat to Ukraine.
At a press conference after meeting with Polish President Andrzej Duda and Lithuanian President Gitanas NausÄ—da, Zelensky said: “I don’t think they (Wagner members) will pose a threat from the direction of Belarus because I think Their force there is not too large.”
According to Zelensky, in previous skirmishes with Ukrainian forces, many members of Wagner were killed. That is why the number of Wagner members who moved back to Moscow during the weekend riots was not too large, the Ukrainian leader said.
He said that the Ukrainian military believes that the situation in Northern Ukraine (which borders Belarus) remains “unchanged and under control”, and the scenario of a new offensive from the north (made by Wagner) is impossible.
“After all, we have a modern and strong army. These are facts, not just words,” Zelensky said.
Wagner is a private military company founded by tycoon Yevgeny Prigozhin. This is the force that plays an important role in Russia’s military operation in eastern Ukraine, especially Bakhmut after Moscow launched a “special military operation” in Ukraine in February last year.
Relations between the Russian and Wagner militaries began to fracture and escalated recently. On the evening of June 23, Prigozhin announced that he had led 25,000 troops from the Ukrainian battlefield into the Rostov region on the Russian border, starting what he called “justice” after accusing Moscow of launching a missile attack on a stronghold. by Wagner. The Russian Defense Ministry denied this claim.
On the evening of June 24, boss Wagner Prigozhin agreed to stop the rebellion, in exchange for Moscow stopping the criminal investigation with private military forces.
In addition, Mr. Prigozhin will go to Belarus after being accused of treason by Russian President Vladimir Putin. Putin also offered options to Wagner members that they could choose to sign a contract with the Russian Defense Ministry to continue fighting, either leaving the force or going to Belarus according to Prigozhin.
On June 26, Mr. Wagner said that, before the riot broke out, some members of Wagner had agreed to sign contracts with the Department of Defense, but that was only a small part. “The members who decide to sign contracts with the Ministry of Defense are estimated at only 1-2%,” he said.
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko later confirmed that Prigozhin had visited the country. He insisted that he would not build a barracks for Wagner, but would provide them with accommodation at an abandoned military base. Belarus also does not plan to allow Wagner to open recruitment centers in the country.
Prigozhin and Wagner members’ move to Belarus has worried many NATO countries in Eastern Europe such as Poland or Lithuania.
Poland’s Deputy Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski said the country’s government had decided to strengthen the country’s border with Belarus.
Mr. Kaczynski made the statement after a meeting of the government’s security and defense committee.
“There are about 8,000 (Wagner) members there (Belarus). This fact poses a threat to Ukraine, Lithuania, and Poland. Decisions have been taken regarding the strengthening of Poland’s defenses. on the border with Belarus,”