"Wagnerians" continues to train security forces in Belarus - ISW
In December 2023, Wagner Group personnel continued to train the military and special forces in Belarus. Russia is increasing its military presence in this country.
This is stated in the report of the American Institute for the Study of War (ISW), Censor.NET reports.
The independent Belarusian monitoring group "Belarusian Forest" reported on January 1 that an unspecified number of "Wagner" employees trained the personnel of the special forces of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Belarus "Tornado", "Storm" and "Typhoon", as well as the personnel of the Belarusian 51st artillery brigade.
The staff of "Wagner" also teaches cadets on one-month and three-week courses at the Faculty of Internal Troops of the Belarusian Military Academy. Satellite images show that in November and December 2023, the number of military equipment at the Wagner camp in the cities of Tsel and Osypovych, Mogilev Region, decreased by 30 percent. The Hajun group suggests that the Wagner forces could have taken the equipment to Russia or transferred it to the regular Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.
In addition, it is reported that in December 2023, Russia delivered about five million rounds of ammunition to Belarus. The Belarusian Railways Association said on January 8 that the ammunition train left Barnaul, Altai Republic, on December 10 and reached its destination in the city of Golynets, Mogilev Region, on December 22.
After the death of Yevhen Prigozhin, part of the mercenaries of the "Wagner" PMC were transferred to Belarus.
According to British intelligence, in October 2023 units of the "Wagner" PMC became part of the Russian Guard.
At the end of December, Russia strengthened the military group on the territory of the allied country. Military countries with the support of Moscow have deployed several battalions and tactical groups in two regions of Belarus.
