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Minsk claims Wagner contractors in Belarus, train Belarusian soldiers

1 min read

Wagner contractors are already in Belarus and are training Belarusian troops at a camp near Asipovichy, the Belarusian official military news channel VoenTV reported on July 14.

The private military company members are supposedly serving as instructors for Belarusian territorial defense.

"Conscripts learn the skills like moving across the battlefield, shooting, logistics, and first aid," VoenTV's correspondent at the Asipovichy camp said.

"They (Wagner contractors) are very educated... They can teach us a lot, this is a very useful instrument," commented one of the Belarusian conscripts.

Wagner contractors were set to leave for Belarus following the short-lived insurrection by their leader Yevgeny Prigozhin against the Kremlin on June 23-24.

Several media subsequently reported on a new military camp being built near the town of Asipovichy, 200 kilometers from the border with Ukraine, allegedly to station Prigozhin's mercenaries.

Minsk initially denied that the facility is meant to house Wagner mercenaries, claiming it is intended for Belarusian territorial defense forces.

Belarus Weekly: Lukashenko tells Belarusians to ‘calm down’ as Wagner’s move still undecided


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Martin Fornusek

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Martin Fornusek is a reporter for the Kyiv Independent, specializing in international and regional politics, history, and disinformation. Based in Lviv, Martin often reports on international politics, with a focus on analyzing developments related to Ukraine and Russia. His career in journalism began in 2021 after graduating from Masaryk University in Brno, Czechia, earning a Master's degree in Conflict and Democracy Studies. Martin has been invited to speak on Times Radio, France 24, Czech Television, and Radio Free Europe. He speaks English, Czech, and Ukrainian.

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