Earlier this month, President Putin decreed that all private soldiers should enlist in the Russian army. This was one of the reasons Prigozhin went to Moscow with his men. But it is business as usual in Wagner recruiting centers, says Russia correspondent Joost Bosman. “But tomorrow, July 1, all private militaries must be registered with the Department of Defense.”
Mali
According to Bosman, the new Wagner soldiers could be sent to Ukraine. “But it’s also possible that Prigozhin and Wagner are refocusing on Africa.” In recent years, Wagner’s units have been very successful in those areas. Foreign Minister Lavrov also said this week that Wagner will remain active in Mali.’
‘Nuclear weapons in the hands of terrorists are the nightmare of the whole world’
According to Ukrainian intelligence, all Wagner soldiers have now left for Belarus. EU countries, and Poland in particular, are concerned about this, not least because Putin has deployed some nuclear weapons in that country. According to Belarusian President Lukashenko, Wagner soldiers will not guard nuclear weapons. “But we know the leaders of this region have not choked on their latest lies. We just don’t know if that will happen,’ says Bosman.
Nightmare
Belarus borders the NATO countries Germany, Poland and Lithuania. While Wagner is officially or unofficially considered a terrorist organization within the European Union. “And nuclear weapons in the hands of terrorists are the whole world’s nightmare.”
At the same time, the question arises whether the surviving relatives of the Wagner mercenaries can still be paid. They are entitled to five million rubles, the equivalent of more than 50,000 euros. Until now, these payments have been made in cash. In Wagner’s headquarters in St. Petersburg, billions of cash were found, intended for pain money.
‘Prigozhin once made it a secret, the money is not only paid to the undeclared next of kin. It is also advised not to put the money in the bank, because then taxes will have to be paid,” says Bosman. In this way, the already strong underground economy in Russia is not only revived. “He also explains why so much money has been withdrawn from Russian banks.”
goods
Meanwhile, Wagner doesn’t appear to be losing popularity since last weekend’s rebellion. In fact, online sales of Wagner merchandise have surged, with shoppers posting five-star reviews and showing their support for the mercenaries, according to the Reuters news agency.