Authorities in Belarus have detained 33 people suspected of being members of Russian private military company ‘Wagner,’ state media reports. The fighters allegedly had come to destabilize the country during its upcoming election.
Belarus government officials would not immediately confirm the report, saying details of what had happened would be made public “through official channels” in due course.
Belta, the state news agency, said all the detainees belong to ‘Wagner,’ a Russian company accused of providing mercenary services throughout the world. As many as 200 fighters “may have arrived in our territory to destabilize the situation during the election campaign,” the agency said, citing its sources in law enforcement.
The group of 33 suspects were arrested overnight at a country resort near Minsk, Belta reported, adding that Belarus state security agency KGB and the Interior Ministry special forces had been involved in the operation.
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