Belarus leader 'can't imagine' Putin behind Prigozhin crash
- World
- AFP
- Published Date: 05:07 | 25 August 2023
- Modified Date: 05:07 | 25 August 2023
Belarus's strongman said Friday that Russian President Vladimir Putin was likely not behind the death of Wagner mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin, who is believed to have died this week in a plane crash.
Prigozhin was offered amnesty in Belarus after launching a failed bid to oust Russia's military leadership this summer, in a deal that Moscow said was brokered by Belarus.
"He is a calculating, very calm and even slow person, making decisions on other, less complicated issues. So I can't imagine that Putin did it, that Putin is to blame," Alexander Lukashenko said according to state-run news agency Belta.
"It's too rough and unprofessional work, if anything," he was cited as saying, explaining why Putin could not have orchestrated as assassination.
Lukashenko has been in power for nearly three decades and is a close ally of Putin. He allowed Russia to attack Ukraine last February from southern Belarus, which shares a border with Ukraine.
He said that he was not responsible for Prigozhin's safety and that the two men never discussed security guarantees.
Lukashenko warned Prigozhin that his life could be in danger, Belta cited the authoritarian leader as saying.
"I said to him: 'Zhen, do you realise that you will kill people and die yourself?'" Lukashenko said, using a first name diminutive for Prigozhin, according to Belta.
The Belarusian leader also suggested that Wagner fighters, who were offered exile in his country following the uprising, were continuing to gather in the country and estimated the number at around 10,000.
- U.S. urges Security Council members to discourage North Korea from conducting another test
- UN does not respond to allegations of double standards between parties in Cyprus
- Lithuania's defence chief says 'a new Prigozhin' will rise
- No other option can be alternative to Black Sea Grain Initiative, says Turkish foreign minister
- Wagner channels say Russian arrested in Finland is top fighter with neo-Nazi background