PMC units will remain in Belarus
Photo: REUTERS
On Friday Alexander Lukashenko met with Belarusian journalists. Our colleagues could not fail to mention the death of the head of PMC Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin. In the end, the president of the republic personally participated in stopping the armed rebellion that took place in June in Russia. At the same time, he said that he had known Prigogine personally for a long time.
Lukashenka began by responding to accusations in the Western press that he did not guarantee Prigozhin’s safety:
– How could I provide this security? Therefore, these questions are not for me. Moreover, there has never been such a conversation – to ensure security on foreign territory. Remember: when it comes to security, we’ve come to this twice. The second time, when he came to me with Dima Utkin. I categorically warned both of them: “Guys, look.” We must pay tribute, Zhenya Prigozhin never asked me to pay special attention to security issues,” Lukashenka said.
Alexander Lukashenko
Photo from: EASTERN NEWS
Furthermore, according to Lukashenko, he even warned him about the impending assassination attempt:
– The last time we flew to the Emirates, I received very serious information from sources, which cannot be deeper, about the attempt on Yevgeny Prigozhin. After two hours (I indicated) they found the Russian ambassador in the Emirates and summoned him. I delivered an encrypted message to the Kremlin, Putin and Bortnikov about the impending assassination attempt on Prigozhin,” the Belarusian leader shared. He added that after a while he asked Prigozhin himself if the information had reached him and confirmed that Putin had warned him.
Lukashenka also responded to the words of those who accuse Putin of killing Prigozhin. He pointed out that this does not make sense: relations have already calmed down and the parties agreed on next steps:
– Most likely there was an explosion on board. Who did it, I personally do not know. But I said that knowing Putin, how scrupulous, careful and precise he is, I don’t think he would do this. And. For a head of state like him, this is crazy. He is not crazy. I’m far from turning him white and fluffy, but I know everything will come down on him.
As for whether Prigozhin died or not, according to Lukashenka, Belarus is now in contact with Prigozhin’s family: “They are convinced and yesterday they told us that there is no doubt that Zhenya died.”
“Wagner” does not leave Belarus. Earlier, various publications reported that after the decision of the Prigozhin board of directors, Russian military transport planes allegedly flew to Belarusian airfields, from where PMC fighters leave the republic. According to the Belarusian leader, the request for the overflight was to carry out the rotation of personnel. This request was made on August 21 (2 days before Prigozhin’s death), but not a single plane arrived.
PMC units will remain in Belarus. Belarusian fighters are happy to learn from experience:
– “Wagner” lived, “Wagner” is alive, and “Wagner” will live in Belarus, no matter how much someone may not like it. Here is the core. Someone went on vacation, someone even decided to live on the sidelines, but phone numbers, addresses, passwords and appearances are known in this core. In a few days they will all be here, up to 10,000 people. Now there is no need to keep them here. So that they do not run anywhere. As long as we need this unit, they will live and work with us.”
We are talking about media reports that from August 1 the mercenary camps began to shrink, when our Ministry of Defense refused to pay for their maintenance. Belarusian journalists, based on satellite images, estimated that a third of the shops had been dismantled.
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