British intelligence: less than 1,000 Wagner mercenaries in Belarus

February 4, Pozirk. British defense intelligence analysts have estimated that less than 1,000 Russian Wagner mercenaries remain in Belarus.

“They have been present in the country since June 2023, at which point there were 8,000 Wagner mercenaries,” the UK Ministry of Defense said on X.

“Wagner almost certainly continues to provide training for Belarusian military and security forces,” it said.

It added that the presence of Wagner mercenaries likely benefited Russia by “compelling Ukraine to maintain defensive positions and personnel along its northern border with Belarus to protect from potential future incursions.”

Last September, the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense gave similar estimates of Wagner’s numbers in Belarus.

The Belarusian military uses Russian mercenaries’ services as instructors.