Ukraine to reinforce northern areas amid fears of Wagner fighters’ arrival in Belarus

June 30, BPN. The general headquarters has ruled that Commander-in-Chief Valerii Zaluzhnyi and Joint Forces Commander Serhiy Nayev should implement a set of measures to reinforce Ukraine’s northern areas, President Volodymyr Zelensky has said on Telegram.

The move comes amid uncertainty surrounding the possible deployment of Russian mercenaries from Wagner Group in Belarus.

Zelensky said he heard a special report from military intelligence and other agencies on the situation in Ukraine’s northern neighbor. “We keep it under permanent control,” he said.

On June 23, Wagner Group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin called for an armed rebellion to oust the Russian defense minister.

He later halted the mutiny as a result of agreements reached with Alaksandr Łukašenka and other officials. Vladimir Putin let him go to Belarus. The Belarusian ruler confirmed Prigozhin’s presence in the country on June 27.

Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak said yesterday that Wagner Group’s presence in Belarus “poses no threat” because Ukraine has strong defenses in the north.