Alexander Lukashenko helped broker the deal whereby Prigozhin ended his foiled June 24 rebellion in exchange for security guarantees for himself and his soldiers. The pact allowed for the transfer of both Prigozhin and his troops to Belarus.
Although he confirmed last week that Prigozhin was in Belarus, Lukashenko told foreign journalists on Thursday that the mercenary chief was in St. Petersburg while his troops remained in camps.
The Belarusian president did not specify the location of the camps. Prigozhin’s mercenaries fought alongside Russian forces in the Ukraine before his revolt.
During the rebellion, they quickly seized Rostov-on-Don in southern Russia, capturing the city’s military headquarters before marching on the capital Moscow in what Prigozhin described as a “march of justice” to overthrow the Russian Minister of Defense and the Chief of the General Staff.
Prigozhin claimed his forces were less than 200 kilometers (124 miles) from Moscow when he ordered a halt under the Lukashenko-brokered deal.
The failed rebellion was the biggest threat to President Vladimir Putin in his more than two decades in power and exposed the Kremlin’s weaknesses.
Lukashenko’s remarks came after Russian media reported that Prigozhin had been seen in Saint Petersburg, the country’s second-biggest city. It was considered that his presence there was protected by agreements that allowed him to close his affairs in the city.
FUENTE: Associated Press
