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Posted at 20:0420:04
What was in the agreement and how was Belarus involved?
Abdujalil Abdurasulov

Reporting from Kyiv, Ukraine

Belarus strongman Aleksander Lukashenko has conducted talks with Evgeniy Prigozhin.

As a result of the negotiations that lasted for the whole day, Prigozhin has agreed to de-escalate.

Lukashenko’s press service reports the negotiations took place with Vladimir Putin’s agreement.

“Prigozhin has agreed to stop the march towards Moscow and take further steps to de-escalate the situation,” the statement says.

As part of the agreement, Wagner fighters get security guarantees.

What else was offered to Prigozhin and mercenaries is not clear.

Russia has been using the territory of Belarus to launch attacks on Ukraine since the beginning of the invasion, effectively erasing Belarus’ sovereignty.

And any signs showing that Putin’s grip on power is weaking threatens the regime in Minsk that is heavily dependent on Moscow.

Earlier today, Svitlana Tikhanovskaya, the opposition leader who challenged Lukashenko in 2020 presidential elections, said the Wagner’s rebellion “is the best chance to kick the Russian military out from [Belarus]”.

“If we miss this chance,” she said in her video appeal, “Russia will do to us exactly what they did to Ukraine.”