Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko stated on Thursday that Yevgeny Prigozhin, the mutinous head of Russia’s Wagner group, is no longer in Belarus. Lukashenko had previously announced on June 27 that Prigozhin had arrived in Belarus as part of the deal to defuse the crisis caused by the Wagner fighters’ revolt. However, Lukashenko now says that Prigozhin is in St. Petersburg or may have moved on to Moscow.
During a press conference in Minsk, Lukashenko also revealed that the question of whether Wagner units will relocate to Belarus has not been resolved and will depend on decisions made by Russia and Wagner. He emphasized that the specifics of their presence and quantity will be determined in the near future.
The remarks by Lukashenko highlight the significant uncertainties surrounding the terms and implementation of the deal that ended the mutiny. Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that the revolt could have sparked civil war. Yevgeny Prigozhin and his fighters have been involved in conflicts such as the fighting in Ukraine and have been critical of Russia’s military leadership, accusing them of corruption and incompetence. The return of Prigozhin to Russia without consequences would raise questions about Putin’s authority following the serious challenge posed by the mutiny, which was one of the gravest challenges to his 23-year rule.
