Movement that scares Europe: Wagner and the Belarusian army carry out military exercises on the border

As the war between Russia and Ukraine continues, the Wagner mercenary group, which rebelled against Russian President Vladimir Putin in June after supporting the war on behalf of Moscow, continues to work in Belarus.

It was announced that Wagner’s soldiers, who left Russia and settled in Belarus after the intervention of Belarusian leader Lukashenko, held military exercises at a point near the Belarus-Poland border. While it was claimed that the Belarusian army conducted a joint military exercise with Private Wagner, it was also recorded that there were approximately 10,000 Wagner soldiers in Belarus.

The Belarusian Defense Ministry made a statement that “the Belarusian army continues joint exercises with the soldiers of the Wagner group.”

Wagner’s leader, Evgeni Prigojin, also said yesterday in a statement that they would not participate in the war in Ukraine, but would be active in Africa.

After Wagner established himself in Belarus, Poland decided earlier this month to increase the number of security forces on the Belarusian border.

Speaking to Britain’s Reuters news agency, officials announced that 22,000 Wagner soldiers lost their lives in the Ukraine war, while 40,000 were wounded and 10,000 reached Belarus. Some 15,000 Wagnerian soldiers were known to be on vacation.