Wagner chief calls Russia's Ukraine war a 'disgrace'

A video emerged Wednesday (July 19) purporting to show Wagner Group chief Yevgeny Prigozhin addressing his fighters in Belarus, in what was the first footage of the mercenary chief since their aborted rebellion in Russia.

Prigozhin's forces held Rostov-on-Don, Russia, for one day in June and advanced to within 200km of Moscow before abruptly withdrawing and aborting their mutiny.

In the video published by Telegram channels with links to Wagner, Prigozhin said his fighters will be based in Belarus "for some time" and will help make the country's army the "second best army in the world".

Taunting the Kremlin

He made a stinging reference to the stalled Russian invasion of Ukraine.

"What's happening at the front is a disgrace in which we don't need to take part," Prigozhin said, adding that Wagner could go back to the front later.

"I want to ask everyone to pay maximum attention to the fact that the Belarusians met us not only as heroes but as brothers," he said.

Belarus said Thursday that instructors from mercenary group Wagner have begun training the ex-Soviet country's special forces, nearly a month after an aborted rebellion in Russia.

"Despite the rain, it's hot at the Brestsky training ground," the Belarusian defence ministry said in a statement, releasing pictures of masked fighters in combat gear.

"Over the course of a week, special forces units and members of the company will practise combat tasks at the Brestsky training ground," the ministry said, referring to Wagner.

Belarusian strongman leader Alyaksandr Lukashenka offered Prigozhin refuge in Belarus and said his army would benefit from the combat experience of Wagner commanders.

Last week Minsk said that the defence ministry and Wagner had worked out a "road map" on sharing experience and that the instructors started training territorial defence forces.

Nightmare for Putin

Wagner fighters and their leader were due to move to Belarus as part of a deal to defuse their revolt, which was the most serious challenge to Russian President Vladimir Putin's power.

Wagner, which played a key role in the Ukraine offensive, sought to topple Russia's military leadership during its brief rebellion last month before backing down.

Prigozhin's unsuccessful march on the Kremlin exposed long-running feuds and fault lines in Russia's national security community.