Instructors from Wagner has begun training special forces, says Belarus

Belarus announced on Thursday that instructors from the mercenary group Wagner had begun training the ex-Soviet country’s special forces, nearly a month after Russia’s failed revolt.

“Despite the rain, it’s hot at the Brestsky training ground,” the Belarusian defence ministry said in a statement, releasing pictures of masked fighters in combat gear.

“Over the course of a week, special forces units and representatives of the company will practise combat tasks at the Brestsky training ground,” the ministry said, referring to Wagner.

Wagner, who was instrumental in the Ukraine offensive, attempted to destabilise Russia’s military leadership during a short mutiny last month before backing down.

Belarusian strongman leader Alexander Lukashenko offered Wagner head Yevgeny Prigozhin asylum in Belarus and that Wagner officers’ battle expertise would improve his army.

Minsk said last week that the military ministry and Wagner had developed a “road map” for exchanging expertise and that the instructors had begun training territorial defence troops.

On Wednesday evening, a video purportedly showing Prigozhin addressing his men in Belarus surfaced, marking the first footage of the mercenary head since the failed revolt.

In the video published by Telegram channels with links to Wagner, Prigozhin said his fighters will be based in Belarus “for some time” and will help make the country’s army the “second army in the world”.

“What’s happening at the front is a disgrace in which we don’t need to take part,” Prigozhin said, adding that Wagner could go back to the front later.