Zelensky says Ukraine will strengthen its northern borders

Ukraine will strengthen the defensive lines on the country's northern borders amid reports of Wagner's redeployment to Belarus, said President Volodymyr Zelensky.

The decision was made at the Supreme Commander-in-Chief's Staff meeting on June 30. Ukraine's Commander-in-Chief Valerii Zaluzhnyi and the Commander of Joint Forces Serhii Naev were assigned the task.

After the meeting, Zelensky said he was briefed on the current situation in Belarus, which is "under constant control" by Ukraine's leadership.

Wagner Group launched an armed rebellion against Russian military leaders on June 23 after a missile attack allegedly targeted their troops in Ukraine. The mercenaries occupied Rostov and marched 200 kilometers to Moscow, only to abruptly end the insurrection less than 24 hours after its start.

Belarus Weekly: Lukashenko brags about saving Russia; Wagner boss ends up in Belarus

Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko claims Wagner Group chief Yevgeny Prigozhin has arrived in Belarus several days after his day-long insurrection in Russia. Meanwhile, Lukashenko denies claims that camps for Wagner mercenaries are under construction in Belarus. Russian President Vladimir Put…

The Kyiv IndependentMaria Yeryoma

​​As a result of an undisclosed agreement between Wagner's founder and the Kremlin, Yevgeny Prigozhin and his contractors were allowed to leave for Belarus.

According to Russian independent outlet Verstka, citing its sources in Belarus, a military camp for 8,000 Wagner contractors is being constructed at Asipovichy, roughly 200 km from the Belarusian-Ukrainian border.

However, Ukraine's military intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov said in an interview that Prigozhin didn't plan a massive stationing of his troops in Belarus.

According to Budanov, Prigozhin is expected to redeploy his forces that fought in Ukraine to Africa, and he needs a hub on Belarus' territory for logistic purposes and recruitment.

Poland, Latvia, and Lithuania called for reinforcement of NATO's eastern flank in response to the alleged transfer of the Wagner Group mercenaries to Belarus.

Russia comes to the brink of civil war: How we got here and what it means

Visually, the scene was a familiar one. Russian armored vehicles emblazoned with the Z logo in the central streets of a once peaceful city, masked soldiers standing at key intersections, and confrontational conversations with bemused local civilians. But this wasn’t a Ukrainian city in the first da…

The Kyiv IndependentFrancis Farrell