Poland, Lithuania want to close border with Belarus because of Wagner

Wagner tycoon Yevgeny Prigozhin gave a phone interview to Cameroon’s Afrique Media earlier this week, which was later published by Reuters on July 28.

In an interview, Mr. Yevgeny Prigozhin denied the story of reducing troop numbers, but instead emphasized the readiness to increase forces to Africa.

"We are not reducing our presence, we are even ready to increase our reserve forces," Prigozhin said about Wagner's activities in Africa.

The tycoon also confirmed to Afrique Media that a new rotational deployment of Wagner forces had recently arrived in the Central African Republic, ahead of a constitutional referendum on July 30 that could help President Faustin-Archange Touadera extend his presidential term.

Also in the interview, Mr. Prigozhin denied all Western accusations and emphasized that all of Wagner's activities are legal and beneficial to the countries where this private military corporation operates.

Wagner operates in many regions of the world, including African countries such as Libya, the Central African Republic and Sudan. This force is said to sign security contracts with countries in exchange for the right to exploit gold and minerals there.

Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin leaves Rostov-on-Don, Russia, June 24. Photo: REUTERS

On July 27, tycoon Wagner also suddenly appeared in St. Petersburg, Russia, apparently to meet with a delegation of African countries attending the Russia-Africa summit.

Images appearing densely on international newspapers show the Wagner group boss shaking hands with Mr. Freddy Mapouka, the official in charge of protocol for the President of the Central African Republic.

This photo was posted on his personal Facebook page by Mr. Dmitry Syty, Director of the Russian Cultural Center in Central Africa, with the caption: "The ambassador shared with me the first photo of the Russia-Africa summit. We saw familiar faces."

Wagner Group tycoon Yevgeny Prigozhin (right) and Freddy Mapouka, protocol chief of the Central African Republic (CAR) President Faustin-Archange Touadéra. Photo: Facebook/Dmitry Syty

Once a vanguard for Russia in fierce fighting in Bakhmut, Ukraine, Wagner's future has been thrown into doubt after a brief uprising late last month.

Under a deal brokered by President Aleksandr Lukashenko, Wagner and his loyalists could enter Belarus. It was the arrival of Prigozhin and thousands of his fighters in Belarus that has alarmed Poland and Lithuania.

The Guardian reports that Poland and Lithuania are considering closing their borders with Belarus over concerns about the presence of Wagner forces in Minsk.

"We are considering and possibly closing the border with Belarus," Lithuanian Deputy Interior Minister Arnoldas Abramavicius told reporters on July 28, after repeated warnings about the presence of Wagner forces in the neighboring country.

Lithuanian authorities have repeatedly warned Western allies that Wagner soldiers could disguise themselves as asylum seekers and attempt to cross borders into European Union (EU) member states or carry out provocative actions involving refugees.

"It is possible that some groups of refugees and illegal migrants are being brought in to cause some kind of unrest," Mr. Abramavicius commented.

Lithuanian border guards at a checkpoint on the Lithuania-Belarus border. Photo: Anadolu

Meanwhile, the chairman of Poland's ruling party, Jaroslaw Kaczynski, also commented that the Wagner forces "did not come to Belarus to have fun."

"They are there to create various types of crises and mainly target Poland," Mr Kaczynski said, revealing that Poland had been building up its defence capabilities to deal with "these provocations".

Source: https://nld.com.vn/thoi-su-quoc-te/ba-lan-lithuania-muon-dong-cua-bien-gioi-voi-belarus-vi-wagner-2023072910442063.htm