Wagner chief Prigozhin is in Russia, president of Belarus says

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko revealed on Thursday that Yevgeny Prigozhin, the leader of Russia’s mercenary group Wagner, is currently in St. Petersburg, Russia. Lukashenko stated that the Wagner troops remain stationed at their previous camps, where they were before a failed mutiny took place. Lukashenko had played a role in brokering a deal on June 24, which ended the rebellion in exchange for security guarantees for Prigozhin and his soldiers, as well as permission for them to relocate to Belarus.

Although Lukashenko had previously stated that Prigozhin was in Belarus, he informed international journalists on Thursday that the mercenary leader is in fact in St. Petersburg, while the Wagner troops continue to occupy their camps. The exact locations of these camps were not specified, but it is known that Prigozhin’s mercenaries had previously fought alongside Russian forces in Ukraine prior to their uprising.

During the rebellion, the Wagner mercenaries swiftly captured the military headquarters in the southern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don and made their way towards the Russian capital. Prigozhin described this as a “march of justice” aimed at removing the Russian defense minister and the Chief of the General Staff. However, under the agreement brokered by Lukashenko, Prigozhin ordered his troops to halt their advance when they were reportedly just 200 kilometers (124 miles) away from Moscow.

The failed rebellion posed the most significant threat to Russian President Vladimir Putin during his more than two decades in power, exposing vulnerabilities within the Kremlin. Lukashenko’s statement regarding Prigozhin’s whereabouts follows Russian media reports that claimed sightings of him in St. Petersburg, Russia’s second-largest city. His presence there is believed to be connected to finalizing his affairs as part of the agreements made.

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• Belarus President says Wagner chief Prigozhin is in Russia – Al Jazeera article reporting on Lukashenko’s statement regarding Prigozhin’s whereabouts.
• Who is Yevgeny Prigozhin, the man behind the Wagner Group? – The Moscow Times article providing information about Yevgeny Prigozhin, the leader of the Wagner Group.
• Belarus leader Lukashenko brokers deal to end Wagner rebellion – Reuters article discussing Lukashenko’s role in brokering the deal to end the rebellion led by Wagner troops.
• Failed Wagner Rebellion Poses Biggest Threat to Putin’s Power – VOA News article analyzing the failed rebellion and its implications for Russian President Vladimir Putin.
• Belarus’s Lukashenko brokers deal to end Wagner Group rebellion – Deutsche Welle article providing details about Lukashenko’s involvement in ending the rebellion and securing guarantees for Prigozhin and his soldiers.