2023-08-13 06:53:15
According to British findings, the Russian mercenary group Wagner will probably no longer be financed by the Russian state and will have to downsize.
The goal is to save on personnel costs, the Ministry of Defense said in London today, referring to the daily assessment of the military intelligence service. There is a “realistic possibility” that the presidential office in Moscow will no longer finance the Wagner mercenaries.
“If the Russian state stops paying Wagner, the Belarusian authorities are the second most plausible paymaster,” it said. However, that would put a strain on Belarus’ resources. Wagner mercenaries are currently training Belarusian soldiers there.
Prigozhin’s whereabouts unknown
The Wagner mercenaries have long been a mainstay of the regular Russian military in the war against Ukraine. However, Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin massively publicly criticized the military leadership and Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and accused them of incompetence.
At the end of June, Prigozhin ordered a mutiny against the military leaders and a march on Moscow. After two days the mutiny was called off. According to Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, he mediated between Prigozhin and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Prigozhin then temporarily went into exile in Belarus. It is unclear where he is currently staying.
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