Mercenaries from Russia’s Wagner Group have begun training Belarusian special forces at a military range near the border with Poland, according to the Belarusian defense ministry. The training is taking place just three miles east of the Polish border, raising concerns in Poland, a NATO member. Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin was seen in a video welcoming his fighters to Belarus, instructing them to gather their strength for future operations in Africa while training the Belarusian army. The Belarusian defense ministry stated that joint training between the armed forces of Belarus and Wagner PMC will continue at the Brest military range.
Pictures released by Minsk show masked Wagner instructors training Belarusian soldiers with armored vehicles and drone controls. Poland has responded to the presence of Wagner fighters in Belarus by moving over 1,000 troops to its eastern border. The Polish defense ministry assured that the country’s borders are secure and that it is prepared for various scenarios as the situation develops.
The move by Poland has raised concerns in Moscow, with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stating that Poland’s aggressiveness is a cause for concern and requires heightened attention from Russia. The presence of Wagner fighters in Belarus has been interpreted by the West as a challenge to President Vladimir Putin’s rule and a sign of the strain the Ukraine war has placed on the Russian state. However, Russia rejects this interpretation and asserts that the Russian people have rallied around Putin and the military.
A deal was struck on June 24 for the mercenaries to move to Belarus in exchange for dropped charges against them. Wagner has reportedly lost 22,000 fighters in the Ukraine war, with 40,000 wounded. According to a post by a senior commander, up to 10,000 Wagner fighters will end up in Belarus. The post also revealed that a total of 78,000 Wagner men participated in the Ukraine war, with 49,000 of them becoming prisoners. Wagner has been involved in various conflicts, including the annexation of Crimea, fighting against Islamic State militants in Syria, and operations in the Central African Republic and Mali.
The exact number of Wagner fighters in Belarus could not be confirmed by Reuters, but the figures provided by the senior commander give insight into the extent of the losses suffered by both sides in the Ukraine war and the strength of the mercenary group. The post contradicted remarks by a Russian lawmaker who claimed that 33,000 Wagner fighters had signed contracts with the defense ministry. The situation remains tense as the training of Belarusian special forces by Wagner continues near the Polish border.
Reporting by Felix Light in Tbilisi and Guy Faulconbridge in Moscow. Editing by Andrew Osborn, Angus MacSwan, William Maclean.
How should NATO members, particularly Poland, respond to the presence of Russian mercenaries in Belarus and the potential threat it poses to their security
Belarus and among NATO members. The training of Belarusian special forces by Russian mercenaries from the Wagner Group at a military range near the Polish border has sparked worries about potential aggression or destabilization in the region.
The presence of the Wagner Group in Belarus is particularly concerning for Poland, a NATO member, as it raises questions about Russia’s intentions and the potential threat to its security. Yevgeny Prigozhin, the chief of Wagner, was seen in a video welcoming his fighters to Belarus and emphasizing their future operations in Africa while training the Belarusian army.
The Belarusian defense ministry has confirmed that joint training between the armed forces of Belarus and Wagner PMC will continue at the Brest military range. Pictures released by Minsk show Wagner instructors training Belarusian soldiers with armored vehicles and drone controls, further increasing anxiety about Russia’s activities near the Polish border.
Poland responded to the presence of Wagner fighters by deploying over 1,000 troops to its eastern border to ensure the country’s security. The Polish defense ministry has assured the public that the country’s borders are secure and that they are prepared for various scenarios as the situation develops.
The situation remains tense, and both Belarus and Poland are closely monitoring any further developments. The presence of Russian mercenaries near NATO’s borders is an alarming development and requires ongoing attention and scrutiny from the international community.
This article underscores the increasing tensions at the Belarus-Poland border due to the Wagner Group’s involvement in training Belarusian special forces. The situation warrants close attention as it could have far-reaching implications for regional stability.
The proximity of Wagner Group’s training activities near Poland adds fuel to the already simmering border tensions, warranting a careful observation of the evolving situation.