Wagner troops shot down a Russian 'special mission' plane
Yevgeny Prigozhin has been spotted for the first time since the Wagner chief's botched coup in Russia. The photograph, which was shared on a Wagner-affiliated Telegram channel, shows Mr Prigozhin sitting in his underwear. The dishevelled-looking figure is photographed waving to the camera while sitting upright on a bunk in a field tent decorated with a Wagner insignia.
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While the photograph of the Wagner chief is undated, analysts suggest it could have been taken in Osipovichi, Belarus.
Osipovichi is the site of a military 'tent city' set up for Wagner soldiers.
The relocation to Osipovichi was part of a deal to end the armed uprising.
The Belarusian Gayun Monitoring Group claims that the photograph may have been taken on July 12.
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Osipovichi is the site of a military 'tent city' set up for Wagner soldiers (Image: CNN)
Gayun notes that on July 11, Mr Prigozhin's plane flew to Belarus for the third time, after which two helicopters flew to Osipovichi.
The next day, Mr Prigozhin's plane flew back to St. Petersburg, leading the monitoring group to suggest the trip was a chance for the Wagner chief to check the new camp.
People close to the Wagner chief told the Financial Times that he was probably given some time to wind down his Russian businesses before settling in Belarus.
This comes as Belarus confirmed that Wagner forces are now training the country's military.
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Belarus confirmed that Wagner forces are now training the country's military (Image: Belarus TV)
The Belarusian defence ministry said that the paramilitary group has started working as army instructors.
The photograph of Mr Prigozhin emerged online just hours after Vladimir Putin said the Wagner Group no longer exists.
In his first comments about a Kremlin deal with the mercenaries, President Putin told Russian newspaper Kommersant on Thursday that he had offered Wagner “several employment options.”
The deal will see Wagner fighters remain under Andrei Trochev, who has led the mercenaries' efforts in Ukraine.
President Putin said that many of the 35 men present “nodded their heads, when I said that but Prigozhin, who was sat in front of them and didn’t see that, heard me out and said: ‘No, the guys don’t agree with that decision'.”
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Vladimir Putin said the Wagner Group no longer exists (Image: GETTY)
The Russian leader said he “gave an assessment of what they did on the battlefield, and on the other hand — what they did during the mutiny”.
The Kremlin wants to drive a wedge between the Wagner chief and regular Wagner fighters according to the BBC's Russia editor Steve Rosenberg.
The US has said Wagner has largely been sidelined in Ukraine as the Pentagon press secretary, Pat Ryder, said: “At this stage, we do not see Wagner forces participating in any significant capacity in support of combat operations in Ukraine.”
Mr Ryder added that the majority of Wagner’s fighters had remained in Russian-occupied Ukraine.
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