Title: Russian Mercenaries Trained near Poland as Tensions Mount
Date: July 20, 2023
In a highly concerning development, mercenaries from Russia’s Wagner Group have reportedly begun training Belarusian special forces near the country’s border with NATO-member Poland. The Belarusian defense ministry confirmed the joint training exercises and stated that the armed forces of Belarus were working alongside the fighters of the Wagner Private Military Company (PMC) at the Brest military range, located just 3 miles (5 km) east of the Polish border.
Footage released on Wednesday showed Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin personally welcoming his fighters to Belarus. During his address, Prigozhin made it clear that the mercenaries would not be participating in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine for the time being. Instead, he ordered them to gather their strength for future operations in Africa while simultaneously training the Belarusian army.
Images released by Minsk portrayed masked Wagner instructors – their faces covered, as per the group’s rules – training Belarusian soldiers with armored vehicles and what appeared to be drone controls.
The presence of Wagner fighters near Poland has prompted the Polish defense ministry to respond by bolstering its border security. Earlier this month, Poland moved over 1,000 troops to the eastern part of the country due to concerns that the Wagner forces in Belarus could escalate tensions along the border. Responding to the situation, the Polish defense ministry reassured that the country’s borders were secure, and it was prepared for “various scenarios as the situation develops.”
The Kremlin spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, expressed concern over Poland’s actions, labeling them as aggressive and hostile towards Belarus and Russia. He stated that such an outlook would require heightened attention from Russia’s side.
The Wagner Group has gained international notoriety for its involvement in various conflicts, including the annexation of Crimea in 2014, the fight against ISIS in Syria, and its operations in the Central African Republic and Mali. The group is known for its battle-hardened fighters and has suffered significant losses in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
According to a post shared on Wagner’s Telegram channel, a senior commander named “Marx” revealed that Wagner had lost 22,000 fighters with an additional 40,000 wounded. The post also claimed that up to 10,000 fighters would eventually be deployed in Belarus, while approximately 15,000 were on leave. These numbers provide insight into the scale of casualties on both sides of the Ukraine conflict and highlight the continued strength of Wagner’s mercenary forces.
The situation with Russian mercenaries training in Belarus near the Polish border raises concerns over potential escalations and instability in the region. As tensions mount, neighboring countries and NATO will closely monitor developments to ensure the security of their borders and maintain stability in the region.
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Reuters
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