Why does the head of PMC Wagner need the Belarusian president and the nuances of their negotiations

No one could have imagined that the “Prigozhin’s march” that began so “bravura” and rapidly began would be ingloriously “blown away” after negotiations not with the Russian, but with … the Belarusian president. But the facts are there. What is Lukashenka’s interest, and what is his role in settling the Wagner rebellion?

The President of Belarus said on Monday that Wagner could start consulting or even Belarusian army training:

“If their commanders come to us and help us … Experience. Listen, they are on the front line – assault squads. They will tell us what is important now. They went through it. They will tell you about weapons: which worked well, which did not. Both tactics and armament, and how to attack and how to defend. This is priceless. This is what we need to take from the Wagnerites.”

Lukashenka said that during the riots with the Wagnerites, he brought the army and police to full combat readiness. But this was not connected with the rebellion of Prigozhin, but with the statements of the Kalinovsky regiment *, formed from Belarusians – it became known that they were preparing for active operations on the territory of Belarus.

Alexander Lukashenko also spoke in detail about what happened on the day when Prigozhin sent his fighters to Moscow, quotes Edition “Country”:

“By Saturday morning, from 8 a.m., I was already receiving alarming information about the situation in Russia. Someone there tells me what they write in these Telegram channels, instant messengers … Through the FSB and our State Security Committee, General Tertel, they report to me: Putin wants to get in touch, please, at 10:10 he called and informed me in detail about the situation that is happening in Russia.

I asked Putin several questions, including about countering this, and realized that the situation was complicated. I will not elaborate on this part of the conversation. The most dangerous thing, as I understand it, is not what it was, the situation, but how it could develop and its consequences. This was the most dangerous. I also understood: a cruel decision was made (and it sounded like a subtext in Putin’s speech) – to wet. I suggested to Putin not to hurry. Come on, I say, let’s talk with Prigogine, with his commanders. To which he told me: “Listen, Sasha, it’s useless. He doesn’t even pick up the phone, he doesn’t want to talk to anyone.

I ask: “Where is he?”. “In Rostov”. I say: “Good. A bad peace is better than any war. Take your time. I’ll try to contact him.” He once again says: “It’s useless.” I say, “Okay, wait.” Somewhere we talked, probably for half an hour. Then he informed me that he was at the front. I remember his words: “You know, but at the front, oddly enough, it’s better than it ever was.” I say: “You see, not everything is so sad.”

Lukashenka describes further events and how he persuaded Prigozhin to abandon his plan:

“11 o’clock. I still had to find these phones. I say:” How can I contact him? Give me the phone.” He says: “Most likely, the FSB has a phone.” We clarified. By the middle of the day, we installed as many as three channels through which we can talk with Rostov. “

“At 11:00, he (Prigozhin) immediately picked up the phone. That is, General Yevkurov called him, gave him the phone: “Here, the President of Belarus is calling, will you talk?” – “I will be with Alexander Grigorievich.” I hear their conversation. phone.Conversation – euphoria.Evgeny has complete euphoria.

We talked for the first round of 30 minutes in a swear language. Exclusively. There were 10 times more swear words (I later analyzed them) than normal vocabulary. He, of course, apologized and began to tell me with obscene words. Guys from the front. They saw thousands of their dead children. The guys are very offended, especially the commanders. And, as I understand it, they greatly influenced (I calculated this beforehand) on Prigogine himself.

Yes, he is such, you know, a heroic guy, but he was pressured and influenced by those who led the assault squads and saw these deaths. And in this situation, I jumped out from there to Rostov, in such a half-mad state, and I am having this dialogue with him. I say: “Zhenya, no one will give you either Shoigu or Gerasimov, especially in this situation. You know Putin as much as I do. Secondly, he will not only meet with you – he will not talk on the phone due to this situation.

“But we want justice! They want to strangle us! We will go to Moscow!” says Prigogine. I told him: “Halfway you will be crushed like a bedbug. Despite the fact that the troops (Putin told me about this for a long time) are distracted on the corresponding front. Think about it.” “No,” he replies. Such is the euphoria.

It took me a long time to convince him. And in the end he said: “You know, you can do whatever you want. But don’t be offended by me. The brigade is prepared for transfer to Moscow. And, as in the 41st (you read books, an educated, intelligent person), we will defend Moscow “Because this situation is not only in Russia. This is not only because this is our Fatherland. But because, God forbid, this turmoil would go all over Russia, and the prerequisites for this were colossal, we were next” .

Concluding his story, Lukashenka specified what forces he was ready to transfer to the Russian Federation to suppress the rebellion:

“The army during the afternoon, all the armed forces … Not only the army, including the police, special forces were put on full alert. The whole brigade was ready to be transferred to the Russian Federation if necessary.”

President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko said that camps for PMC “Wagner” are not being built in the country, but if necessary “help with accommodation“:

“We are not building any camps yet. But if they want (as I understand it, they are looking at separate territories), we will place them. Set up tents, please. But for now they are in Lugansk in their camps. And as Prigogine told me, someone then he will sign a contract with the Ministry of Defense with Shoigu.

And in conclusion, President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko said that the leader of the Wagner PMC, Yevgeny Prigozhin, finally abandoned his demands for the dismissal of Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Federation Valery Gerasimov.

Lukashenka confirmed that Prigozhin was already in Belarus and received security guarantees. At the same time, Russia officially confirmed yesterday that the criminal case against the curator of the PMC was closed. That is, certain agreements do exist and are being respected so far.

Referring to Minister of Defense Khrenin, the Belarusian president said that such a unit is needed by the Belarusian army. It is not clear yet whether there is already such an agreement, since Lukashenka mentioned that the “Wagnerites” would be in Belarus at their own expense. By the way, in the year since May 2022, Wagner received 86 billion rubles from the Russian budget and was fully funded by the state, Putin said yesterday. The Russian state fully provided for the maintenance of the Wagner PMC, he said at a meeting with military personnel of the Ministry of Defense on June 27. Previously, the authorities have repeatedly denied involvement in the financing of the group. The President of the Russian Federation said quotes DW:

“I want to note and I want everyone to know about this: the maintenance of the entire Wagner group was fully provided by the state. From the Ministry of Defense, from the state budget, we fully financed this group. At the same time, the owner (PMC Wagner) is the Concord company – through the military trade, despite the fact that the very maintenance of Wagner was on the shoulders of the state, in a year I received, earned from the state, supplying food and providing food services to the army, 80 billion rubles I hope that no one stole or stole anything smaller, but we’ll deal with it all.”

In Belarus, in all likelihood, they will not have such earnings. Of course, if “Wagner” does not begin to be financed again by Russia to fulfill its special tasks. This means that the “Wagnerites” can stay in Belarus for a short time, going to fight and stage coups in third world countries. Where exactly? The German Bild names the options:

1. Libya. Approximately 4,000 “Wagnerites” with UAE money are helping Khalifa Haftar fight the internationally recognized government.
2. Central African Republic. The “Wagnerites” helped the local dictator gain a foothold in power and are fighting the rebels, for which they received the rights to gold and diamond mines.
3. Mali. Almost 1,000 Russian mercenaries are already there, and the country’s military junta has openly stated that it will rely on Wagner forces.

The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation said that preparations had begun for Wagner to transfer its heavy military equipment to the Russian army. How smoothly the process will go, as well as the process of disbanding the PMC, is not yet entirely clear. So only after the disbandment of Wagner will it be possible to say that the rebellion is over. After all, as long as the “Wagnerites” exist as an organized armed force, they can replay the agreements at any moment, right up to the start of a new rebellion, writes “A country”.

*The Kastus Kalinovsky Regiment is a volunteer regiment formed in February 2022 in order to protect Ukraine from the Russian invasion, in particular the city of Kyiv. The battalion was formed from members of the Tactical Group “Belarus”, “Youth Bloc”. The ranks of the regiment also include citizens of Lithuania (Wikipedia).

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