5,000 Wagner mercenaries in Belarus, but no immediate threat to Ukraine — DPSU
The number of Russian Wagner company mercenaries in Belarus currently amounts to slightly over five thousand individuals, the spokesperson for the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine or DPSU, Andriy Demchenko, said on Ukrainian national television on July 29.
"At present, according to our data, the number of mercenaries stands at just over five thousand persons. We observe that they continue to arrive on the territory of Belarus," Demchenko said.
Belarus is allegedly supporting Russia in its activities by not only providing training grounds and infrastructure but also by accommodating the presence of Wagner mercenaries alongside regular army units, he said.
Demchenko reassured the public that there have been no observed movements of hostile forces or mercenaries near the Ukrainian border, and the situation remains fully under control of Ukrainian forces.
"Ukrainian intelligence units, including the DPSU intelligence, are actively monitoring the evolving situation to assess any potential threat to Ukraine.”
“However, currently, the presence of Wagner (fighters) on Belarusian soil does not pose a significant threat to Ukraine," concluded the DPSU spokesperson.
Wagner in Belarus: What is known
On June 24, a group of Wagner mercenaries, led by commander Yevgeny Prigozhin, ended a one-day rebellion following negotiations with self-proclaimed Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko. Russian dictator Vladimir Putin presented three options to the Wagner group, including the possibility of exile to Belarus.
Shortly after, reports emerged about the construction of camps in Belarus to accommodate the Wagnerites, with satellite images suggesting the existence of a probable Wagner field camp. Lukashenko denied the presence of such camps but offered assistance with accommodation if needed.
The DPSU estimated that Belarus could potentially host around 8,000 Wagner PMC mercenaries. However, Ukrainian intelligence cautioned that it was too early to confirm the relocation of Wagnerites to Belarus.
Later, it was revealed that the Wagnerites in Belarus would be providing combat training to Belarusian forces. This claim was first made by NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg and later confirmed by the Belarusian Ministry of Internal Affairs in their negotiations regarding the training of Belarusian special forces on July 12.
The DPSU announced on July 14 that Russia had withdrawn almost all of its military personnel from Belarus.
Monitoring group the Belarusian Hajun reported the entry of the ninth column of Wagner mercenaries into Belarus on July 19.
As of July 20, the Ministry of Defense of Belarus announced joint “training” operations with the Wagner militants near the border with Poland.
On the same day, Polish Defense Minister Mariusz Błaszczak announced the deployment of a contingent of troops to the eastern border in response to the presence of Wagner PMC mercenaries in Belarus.
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius pledged support to Poland in the event of a potential Wagner attack from Belarus.
On July 23, the head of the Polish defense department revealed plans to establish a new military unit near the border with Belarus.
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