Prigozhin was warned twice, but dismissed threats, claims Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko

Belarus’ President Alexander Lukashenko has claimed that he gave Russian mercenary group Wagner chiefs, Yevgeny Prigozhin and Dmitry Utkin, a heads up and asked them to not leave the country.

Both Progozhin and Dmitry Utkin were said to have died in a recent plane crash in Russia.  Many observers continue to have a sceptical view of the reports though. Especially given that back in 2019 also there were reports of Prigozhin’s death in a crash, but he reappeared in three days.

Prigozhina had been living in Belarus since leaving Russia in June after a failed mutiny.

The Wagner group claimed to mount a rebellion against the Russian defence ministry after prolonged tensions between the two. However, the mercenary group called off their march to Moscow following a deal that allowed Prigozhin a safe passage to Belarus in lieu of retreating peacefully.

Lukashenko, who is close to Russia’s President Vladimir Putin, was the one who brokered the deal.

On Friday, he claimed that during the mutiny he persuaded Putin to not ‘wipe out’ Prigozhin and the Wagner group.

Lukashenko said that he had warned the mercenary chiefs twice, but they dismissed his concerns.

The first time, he claimed, was during the mutiny itself. He warned Prigozhin that he would “die” if he kept up with his march on Moscow, to which, Lukashenko claimed, Prigozhin replied, “To hell with it — I will die.”

The second time was when Prigozhin and Utkin called on him. He warned the two, saying, “Lads-you watch out,” Lukashenko claimed.

However, it was not clear as to when the said conversation took place.

‘It’s just too rough and unprofessional a job’

Western countries have suggested that Prigozhin may have been killed on orders from the Kremlin.

However, Lukashenko opined that the way in which Prigozhin was killed was too ‘unprofessional’ for Putin to be behind it.

“I know Putin: He is calculating, very calm, even tardy,” Lukashenko said.

“I cannot imagine that Putin did it, that Putin is to blame. It’s just too rough and unprofessional a job.”

The Kremlin, on Friday, called the Western suggestions of it behind the crash which killed Prigozhin an “absolute lie”

What is the future for Wagner after Prigozhin?

Now that Prigozhin is reportedly dead, it is pertinent to ask what will be the future of his mercenary group.

Lukashenko claims that the Wagner fighters will remain in Belarus.

“Wager lived, Wagner is living and Wagner will live in Belarus,” Lukashenko said.

“As long as we need this unit, they will live and work with us.”