Belarusian special forces, Russia’s Wagner Group hold joint training

ANKARA

Special forces of Belarus held joint training with Russia's Wagner paramilitary forces, the Belarusian Defense Ministry said on Thursday.

"The armed forces of Belarus continue joint training with the fighters of the Wagner PMC (private military company). During the week, special operations forces units together with representatives of the company will work out combat training tasks at the Brest training ground" near the Polish border, the ministry said in a statement.

Last week, the Belarusian Defense Ministry said that Wagner participated in the training of servicemen of the territorial units of Belarus in the area of the city of Osipovichi, Mogilev region.

The Belarusian side does not specify the number of fighters of the Wagner PMCs who have arrived in Belarus.

On Wednesday, Yevgeny Prigozhin, the Wagner chief, said in his first public appearance since the attempted mutiny in late June that his forces will remain in Belarus "for some time."

On June 24, Prigozhin accused the Russian Defense Ministry of attacking the group’s fighters, declared a “March of Justice” and set off toward Moscow.

The Russian Federal Security Service designated the group’s action “an armed rebellion” and opened a criminal case against Prigozhin, while Russian President Vladimir Putin called the private military company's uprising an act of “treason.”

Prigozhin later turned back “to avoid bloodshed” and has since moved to Belarus under a deal brokered by President Alexander Lukashenko.