Wagner chief Prigozhin is in Belarus, Lukashenko says

Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin has arrived in Belarus, the country’s authoritarian ruler Alexander Lukashenko said Tuesday.

“Yes, indeed, he is in Belarus today,” Lukashenko said, according to Belarusian state-owned news agency BELTA.

A private jet belonging to Prigozhin had reportedly landed at a military airstrip near Minsk on Tuesday morning.

Prigozhin was exiled from Russia — under a three-party deal between the Kremlin, Wagner and Belarus — after leading an aborted mutiny by his Wagner Group forces against President Vladimir Putin last weekend.

The mutinous warlord resurfaced Monday afternoon, posting a defiant message on social media in which he defended his troops’ rebellion against Russia’s military leadership.

In his message, Prigozhin said Minsk had offered ways for his men to continue work from Belarus.

Earlier Tuesday, Lukashenko said Belarus could benefit from the presence of Wagner troops on its territory.

“They will tell us about the weapons: which worked well, which didn’t. And tactics, and weapons, and how to attack, how to defend,” the Belarusian leader said, according to BELTA.

“That’s invaluable. That’s what we need to take from the Wagnerites,” he added.