Video appears to show Wagner boss for first time since armed mutiny

‘’We fought with dignity! We have done a lot for Russia,’ he says in new footage

A new video appears to show Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin for the first time since he led an armed mutiny last month.

The mercenary leader is seen telling his troops they will spend some time in Belarus training its military before deploying to Africa.

Messaging app channels linked to Mr Prigozhin's Wagner private military company said he spoke at a field camp in Belarus and ran a blurry video purported to show him there, his silhouette seen against the sky at dusk.

His gravelly voice was clearly distinguishable as he said: "Welcome guys! I am happy to greet you all. Welcome to the Belarusian land!

"We fought with dignity! We have done a lot for Russia."

Mr Prigozhin's mutiny, which posed the most serious threat to Vladimir Putin's 23-year rule, was billed by the mercenary chief as being aimed at ousting Russia's top military leaders whom he accused of incompetence.

His criticism of the conduct of the fighting in Ukraine was repeated in the new video, the authenticity of which could not be immediately verified.

Suggesting that Wagner forces could return to Ukraine in the future, he added: "What is going on the front line today is a shame in which we shouldn't take part.

"We may return to the special military operation when we feel sure that we will not be forced to put shame on ourselves.

"We need to wait for the moment when we can show ourselves in full.

"That is why a decision has been made that we would spend some time here in Belarus.

"During that time, we will make the Belarusian army the second-strongest army in the world. We will train, raise our level and set off for a new journey to Africa."

In addition to their involvement in Ukraine, Wagner mercenaries have been sent to Syria and several African countries since the private army was created in 2014.

A view of the Belarusian army camp near Tsel village, about about 55 miles southeast of Minsk, Belarus (Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

Under the deal that was brokered by Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko, Mr Prigozhin agreed to end his rebellion in exchange for an amnesty for him and his fighters and permission to relocate to Belarus.

Before moving to Belarus, Wagner handed over its weapons to the Russian military, part of efforts by Russian authorities to defuse the threat posed by the mercenaries

Until the video was posted on Wednesday, Mr Prigozhin had released only a couple of audio messages after the mutiny.

This is a complete contrast to the almost-daily barrage of blustery statements before the events in June.

Some saw that as a sign that the deal obliged him to cut his rhetoric and stay away from politics.

Starting last week, several Wagner convoys flying Russian flags and Wagner insignias have been seen rolling into Belarus, heading towards a field camp that Belarusian authorities had offered to the company.

Wagner has also used camps in the Russia-occupied Luhansk region of Ukraine.

Belarusian state TV broadcasted a video of Wagner instructors training Belarus’s territorial defence forces (AP)

Mr Prigozhin presented the flag to cheering mercenaries in the video posted today.

Mr Lukashenko has said that his country's military could benefit from the mercenaries' combat experience and rejected claims that their presence could destabilise the ex-Soviet nation.

Last week, Belarusian state TV broadcasted a video of Wagner instructors training Belarus's territorial defence forces.

In his revolt that began on June 23 and lasted less than 24 hours, Mr Prigozhin's mercenaries swept through the southern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don and captured the military headquarters there without firing a shot, before moving as close as 200 kilometres (125 miles) to Moscow.

The mutiny faced little resistance and the mercenaries downed at least six military helicopters and a command post aircraft, killing at least 10 airmen.

Mr Prigozhin had called it a "march of justice" to oust defence minister Sergei Shoigu and General Staff chief General Valery Gerasimov, who demanded that Wagner forces sign contracts with the Defence Ministry.

He ordered his troops back to their camps after striking the deal to end the rebellion, the terms of which have remained murky.

Mr Putin has declared that Wagner troops had a choice between signing contracts with the Defence Ministry, moving to Belarus or retiring from service.

He said last week that he met with Mr Prigozhin and 34 Wagner officers on June 29 and offered them the option of continuing to serve as a single unit under the same commander.