Alexander Lukashenko confirmed that Yevgeny Prigozhin, founder of PMC Wagner, has arrived in Belarus, BelTA informs . He stressed that the security guarantees promised by Vladimir Putin had been provided.
“As I promised, if you want to change corners with us for a while and so on, we will help you. Naturally, for their <Wagnerites – BelTA> account.
According to Lukashenka, Belarusian Defense Minister Viktor Khrenin said that he "wouldn't hurt" a unit of Wagner fighters in the army. "I agree. Talk to them,” Lukashenka said.
He stressed that in Belarus, contrary to rumors , camps for mercenaries from the PMC Wagner are not being built.
“We offered them one of the abandoned parts. Please, there is a fence, everything is there. Set up tents. How can we help. Until they figure out what to do. <…>
But while they are in Luhansk in their camps. And as Prigozhin, who called yesterday, told me, someone will sign a contract with the Ministry of Defense. But, he says, the most important thing is that my guys have not been at home for half a year, for a year. And it was important for me to agree with Putin so that he would not touch them. He promised, keeps his promise. They want to go to families.”
There will also be no recruiting centers for PMC Wagner in Belarus.
Lukashenka also said that “Poles and others” allegedly believe that Wagner mercenaries will guard Russian nuclear weapons transported to Belarus.
“Wagner will not protect any nuclear weapons. They will guard and guard there today, since a part of the nuclear weapons (I won’t say how many), most of them have already been brought to Belarus. It's surprising that they didn't track it down. Protected by Russians and Belarusians. We work together. We have no such experience. Served by Russians. We help maintain these nuclear weapons."