The guesswork about the survival of the Russian mercenary group Wagner continues. Because according to the British secret service, the private army should no longer be financed by the Russian state.
The aim is to save on personnel costs, the Defense Ministry said in London on Sunday, referring to the military intelligence’s daily bulletin. There is a “realistic possibility” that the presidential office in Moscow will no longer fund the Wagner mercenaries. British intelligence believes the move is related to the deteriorating economic situation in Russia.
“If the Russian state stops paying Wagner, the Belarusian authorities will be the second most plausible paymaster,” it said. However, this would strain Belarus’ resources. Wagner mercenaries are currently training Belarusian soldiers there.
Prigozhin’s march to Moscow
Wagner’s mercenaries have long been a mainstay of the regular Russian army in the war against Ukraine. However, Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin massively publicly criticized the military leadership and Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, accusing them of incompetence. At the end of June, Prigozhin ordered a mutiny against the military leaders and a march on Moscow.
After two days, the mutiny was called off. According to Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, he mediated between Prigozhin and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
whereabouts unclear
Prigozhin then went into temporary exile in Belarus. It is not clear where he currently resides. At the request of the government in Minsk, units of his Wagner mercenaries are training Belarusian soldiers in a military camp near the border with Poland.
According to Prigozhin, the Wagner Group was founded in 2014. The wealthy businessman, who spent the last decade of the Soviet Union in prison for theft and fraud, has military and mining contracts in Africa. His mercenaries are active in Mali, Syria and Libya, among others.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
