Selinsky was strengthened to the border with Belarus
Andriy Demchenko, a spokesman for Ukraine’s border guards, told Ukranska Pravda on Saturday that as many as 8,000 Wagner mercenaries could be in Belarus – along with 2,000 regular Russian soldiers. In response, the border with the neighboring country would be better fortified.
This was previously announced by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Zelensky explained in the online Telegram service that the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Valery Salochny, and the responsible general, Sergey Nayef, have been instructed to strengthen security precautions on the northern border in order to “ensure peace.” He referred to information from his secret services and border guards regarding the situation in Belarus. Ukraine has repeatedly expressed its fears of possible attack from Belarus.
Mercenary Uprising: Lukashenko as a Mediator
Last Saturday, the commander of the Wagner Division, Yevgeny Prigozhin, occupied the southern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don and sent a military column towards Moscow. After negotiations, during which Belarusian Governor Alexander Lukashenko acted as mediator, Prigozhin called up his forces. In return, according to the Kremlin, he was granted amnesty and emigration to Belarus.
Lukashenko recently emphasized that his military can benefit from the combat experience of Wagner’s forces. At the same time, however, he added that his country’s military maneuvering space was limited. Wagner’s mercenaries could pitch their tents in the country, but no camps would be built for them. In addition, there are no plans to open recruitment offices for Wagner in Belarus, Lukashenko said a few days ago.
With information from dpa, AP and AFP.