Belarusian troops, Wagner forces hold joint exercises near Polish border

Mercenaries from Russia's Wagner Group have started to train Belarusian special forces at a military range just a few miles from the border with NATO-member Poland, the Belarusian defence ministry has said.

"The armed forces of Belarus continue joint training with the fighters of the Wagner PMC (Private Military Company)," the Belarusian defence ministry said on Thursday.

"During the week, special operations forces units together with representatives of the Company will work out combat training tasks at the Brest military range."

The range is just 5 kilometres east of the Polish border.

Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin was shown in a video on Wednesday welcoming his fighters to Belarus, telling them they would take no further part in the Ukraine war for now but ordering them to gather their strength for Africa while they trained the Belarusian army.

Minsk posted pictures of masked Wagner instructors, their faces covered in accordance with the mercenary group's rules, training Belarusian soldiers with armoured vehicles and what appear to be drone controls.

Cause for concern

Poland, a former Warsaw Pact member which has been a full member of the US-led military alliance since 1999, began moving over 1,000 troops to the east of the country earlier this month amid rising concern that Wagner fighters in Belarus could lead to increased tension on its border.

Poland's defence ministry said on Thursday that the country's borders were secure and that it was ready for "various scenarios as the situation develops".

Asked about Poland's move, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters: "Of course, it is a cause for concern. The aggressiveness of Poland is a reality.

"Such a hostile attitude towards Belarus and the Russian Federation requires heightened attention (from our side)."

Wagner's failed June 23-24 mutiny has been interpreted by the West as a challenge to President Vladimir Putin's rule that illustrates the weakness of the 70-year-old Kremlin chief and the strain of the Ukraine war on the Russian state.

Russia rejects that interpretation and says the Russian people have rallied around Putin and the military.

A deal was struck on June 24 under which the mercenaries would move to Belarus in return for charges against them being dropped. Putin said the fighters could either leave for Belarus, come under the command of the defence ministry or go back to their families.