Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko confirmed in a speech Tuesday afternoon that Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin is in the country.
Lukashenko reportedly offered the Wagner Group one of the country’s abandoned training camps, saying they wouldn’t build new camps for them – if they want to be in Belarus.
This is reported by several media, including Reuters and AP news agencies.
In a speech published on Telegram, under the account of the government Pervogo swimming poolit reveals more details about Wagner’s armed uprising this weekend.
– First of all, I want to say that when the events happened in Russia – and I repeat – I was ordered to put the army on full alert, says Lukashenko at first , and asserts that an entire brigade was ready to be transferred to Russia if it became necessary.
The president is clear that he was very busy with preparations for an upcoming public holiday in the country, so he did not take the early messages very seriously.
It wasn’t until Saturday morning that Lukashenko realized he had received – what he calls – “alarming information” about the situation in Russia, via the FSB and a state security committee.
Putin and Lukashenko will have their first talks on Saturday morning.
– I realized that the situation was complicated, Lukashenko says in the speech.
– The most dangerous thing – as I understood it – was not the situation, but how it could evolve and what consequences it could have, he adds.
According to Lukashenko, he spoke with Prigozhin on the phone for around 30 minutes and described Prigozhin as “euphoric”.
Wagner’s chief’s demands were reportedly to have Defense Minister Sergej Shoigu fired, as well as Defense Chief Valeriy Gerasimov. Moreover, Prigozhin wants to talk to Putin himself, according to Lukashenko.
Read more about the details of Lukashenko’s speech here: – I told Putin that we could kill him
The rebellion of Wagner’s soldiers came to an abrupt halt on Saturday afternoon, following a negotiated agreement with the help of Lukashenko.
The information in the speech has not been confirmed by other independent sources.
