Lukashenko told reporters on Thursday: "As for Prigozhin, he's in St Petersburg (Russia's second biggest city). He is not on the territory of Belarus."
Lukashenko said an offer for Wagner to station some of its fighters in Belarus - a prospect that has alarmed neighbouring NATO countries - still stands.
Mercenary Chief Prigozhin Back in Russia, Belarus's Lukashenko Says | Reuters
It is highly unlikely that Yevgeny Prigozhin, head of the Russian private military company Wagner, will be "offed".
"What will happen to him now? Well, all kinds of things happen in life. But if you think that Putin is so malevolent and vindictive to have him [Prigozhin] eliminated somewhere tomorrow… No, it won't happen," Aleksandr Lukashenko stressed.
Putin Has No Intention of ‘Offing' Prigozhin, Lukashenko Says
- New figures from Kiel Institute put tank deliveries at 471
- Russia's fleet halves, but Kyiv needs more than parity to win
Ukraine Has Caught Up With Russia’s Tank Numbers, Data Signal - Bloomberg
Raiffeisen Bank International is delaying plans to leave Russia, three people familiar with its position said, as Austria steps up its defence of long-standing ties with Moscow.
Exclusive: Raiffeisen Delays Quitting Russia as Austria Defends Ties | Reuters
The Economist magazine has compiled a ranking of European countries that are currently the biggest facilitators of the Russian regime in Europe – but there's no prizes for guessing which states make it to the list.
The most obvious ally of the Kremlin in Europe, according to the publication, is the Hungarian government led by Viktor Orbán, who has been in power since 2010. This country criticizes support for Ukraine, continues to import Russian gas, and also prohibits the transit of weapons for the Armed Forces of Ukraine on its territory.
Austria has also made it onto the ranking.
"Next-door Austria has, more quietly but equally profitably, largely sat out the struggle, too, citing its non-membership of NATO and self-appointed role as a bridge between East and West, offering little aid to Ukraine even as its trade with Russia has surged," the article reads.
Greece, which continues to resist stronger sanctions on Russian oil supplies, and Cyprus, which recently closed Russian bank accounts under pressure, are also on the Economist's list.
Vladimir Putin’s Useful Idiots
