Prigozhin: Putin’s Ally Lukashenko Says Wagner Alive, Offers To Retain 10,000 Mercenaries In Belarus

Belarusian President, Alexander Lukashenko, has offered to retain 10,000 Wagner mercenaries in his country, saying the group “remains alive” despite the reported death of its leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin.

Lukashenko is a strong ally to Russia President, Vladimir Putin, and was in the news for permitting his territory to be used by Russia’s forces to attack Ukraine.

The Wagner forces participated in the Ukraine invasion alongside the Russian army.

But since the death of its leader , the group is yet to announce a replacement and both the Belarusian and Russian presidents are believed to be seeking to control the group.

Russia’s civilian aviation regulator, Rosaviatsia, had earlier said Prigozhin was on the passenger list of the aircraft that crashed.

It failed to immediately clear the air on his death but Putin described the incident as an accident while calling for investigation.

The West thinks the Wagner mercenary chief was eliminated by Putin for staging an internal revolt in Russia together with about “25,000” personnel.

With the vacuum created in the group, Putin on Thursday ordered them to rejoin the Russian military by swearing an oath to Russia like every other soldier.

On his part, Lukashenko said Friday that “Wagner is alive and will live in Belarus”.

Euronews reports that members of the mercenary’s force relocated to Belarus after its leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin, withdrew from advancing toward Moscow during his mutiny in June.

Lukashenko said having developed a relationship with Prigozhin over the years, he will “keep 10,000 mercenaries in Belarus”.

He also countered reports that his ally, Putin killed the Wagner chief.

“I know [Vladimir] Putin,” “He’s a thoughtful man, very calm… I can’t imagine that it was he who did that,” he said to the press on Friday.