The words to Putin: Wagner soldiers want to go against Poland

 

Russia's invasion of Ukraine 

 

Lukashenko on the Wagner soldiers: "They are in a bad mood"  

 

Emil Forsberg  

 

Updated 22:10 | Published 21:37 

 

News  

 

The Wagner soldiers remain in the camp in Belarus.  

 

But now they want to leave to march towards Poland, according to Aleksandr Lukashenko.  

 

- They are in a bad mood, says the Belarusian president.  

 

 

Belarus leader Aleksandr Lukashenko. Photo: Alexander Zemlianichenko / AP 

 

Lukashenko is in St. Petersburg, where he had a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday. 

 

It is the first time the parties have met since Yevgeny Prigozhin's Wagner soldiers marched on Moscow at the end of June. After that, they left Russia and were offered exile in Belarus.  

 

"They ask for permission"  

 

During the meeting, Lukashenko confirmed that they are still there, but hinted that they want to leave for Poland.  

 

- I keep them in central Belarus. They ask for permission to go west... on a trip to Warsaw, to Rzeszow. But of course I keep them in central Belarus as we agreed. 

 

Putin broke into a smile as the Belarusian president gave his update, according to AFP.  

 

Lukashenko then said he is in control of the Wagner Group, but added: 

 

- They are in a bad mood. 

 

Javed Ali, professor of international politics and diplomacy at the University of Michigan, says Lukashenko's statement is an “empty threat.  

 

- In the aftermath of the Wagner Group's failed mutiny in Russia several weeks ago and the relocation to Belarus, an attack on Poland or any neighboring NATO country would be incredibly provocative and trigger Article 5 mutual defense obligations that would likely do serious harm to Wagner Group soldiers if they attempted such a thing, he told Newsweek.

 

Russian President Vladimir Putin together with Lukashenko. Photo: Alexander Demianchuk / AP  

 

The camp is growing  

 

The Wagner force has taken over an unused old military facility 65 miles southeast of the capital Minsk. In recent days, there have been reports of increased activity in the camp as a convoy of upwards of 300 vehicles arrived.  

 

CIA Director Bill Burns recently stated that he believes that Yevgeny Prigozhin is also present in Minsk, which is true according to Sky News.  

 

A video verified by the British television channel shows the Wagner leader at the base talking to the soldiers. 

  

Wagner soldiers. Photo: AP