Wagner Group leader welcomed in Belarus

Satellite photos seem to show the buildup at a military base outside the capital of Minsk, Radio Free Europe reported—possible new digs of Russian mercenary Yevgeny Prigozhin. The Wagner Group owner took refuge in Belarus after reaching a clemency deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin over the weekend. President Alexander Lukashenko of Belarus confirmed Prigozhin’s arrival Tuesday. Lukashenko also welcomed other Wagner Group mercenaries to join their leader, offering up an abandoned military base.

What's next for Wagner Group? The Kremlin confirmed that all charges associated with Prigozhin’s weekend march toward Moscow have been dropped. Catrina Doxsee of the Center for Strategic and International Studies predicts that Prigozhin will shift his focus to stabilizing control of his assets and broader business empire. Andrew Weiss, vice president for studies at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, said it’s possible the Wagner Group could remain involved in Ukraine.

Dig deeper: Read Elizabeth Russell and Leigh Jones’ report on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine reaching the one-year mark.