Wagner Group training soldiers in Belarus

Russian mercenaries with the Wagner Group are in Belarus training the country’s military, the Belarusian Defense Ministry shared Friday.

“The duty officers master the skills of moving on the battlefield and tactical shooting, gain knowledge of engineering and tactical training,” the ministry said on Telegram.

“As instructors in a number of military disciplines were the fighters of the PMC ‘Wagner.’”

A video showing Wagner troops training Belarusians is the first confirmation of Wagner troop locations since they began a march on Moscow last month, rebelling against the Russian military it was fighting alongside in Ukraine.

That rebellion was short-lived, as Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko negotiated a deal to harbor the Wagner Group and allow them to leave Russia safely.

Wagner leader Yevgeny Prigozhin met with Russian President Vladimir Putin shortly after the mutiny, and Putin later said that the Wagner Group “does not exist.”

Putin offered contracts to Wagner troops to instead fight for the Russian military.

The mercenary group fought extensively in Ukraine on behalf of Russia, and has represented Russian interests in Syria and West Africa.

Few troops are visible in the Belarusian video, and locations of Wagner leaders and the exact number of troops in Belarus are unknown.

Western allies have continued support for Ukraine against Russia since the Wagner mutiny. Earlier this month, President Biden announced a new $800 military aid package, which included cluster munitions for the first time since the U.S. began providing aid to Ukraine.

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