Wagner mercenaries in Belarus train drone operators for war in Ukraine - Partisans

Photo: mercenaries of the Wagner PMS in Belarus conduct training for Russian drone operators (Getty Images)

Mercenaries from the Wagner Private Military Company in Belarus are training drone operators for the Russian army. Although they do it reluctantly, as they are paid little for it, according to the monitoring group Belaruski Hayun and the Center for National Resistance.

Wagner PMC instructors in Belarus are training mobilized military personnel for topography, artillery, medical training, organization of management, and communication for two weeks.

"The main focus of the two-week courses is on mastering drone operator skills, including FPV drones. After such crash courses - off to war in Ukraine," the Resistance Center report says.

However, as the partisans note, the instructional work and salary do not suit the Wagner's fighters, and there is a leakage of instructors in Belarus who choose to participate in the war in Africa, where they are paid more.

According to the National Resistance Center, the number of Wagner's fighters in Belarus has decreased from 500 to 400 over the recent period.

Situation in Belarus

As noted by the monitoring group Belaruski Hayun, in April 2024, Belarus conducted a readiness check, which became the most extensive in Belarus's history.

During this month, Belarusian military received a second batch of four Mi-35M helicopters from Russia. In total, there are already 8 such helicopters at the Machulishchi airfield. It is planned to increase their number to 12.

The aviation group of the Russian Aerospace Forces has increased by one fighter jet over the month. At the same time, the strength of the Russian Armed Forces in Belarus has remained unchanged. The Russian military contingent continues to be in the same locations as before. In addition, the number of Wagner PMC mercenaries in Belarus remains low. They are notably involved in training the forces of Alexander Lukashenko's regime.

It is worth noting that Russia has turned Belarus into a training ground for its troops, which are sent to the front lines in Ukraine.

At the same time, NATO has confidentially outlined "red lines" for its intervention in the war in Ukraine. According to one of the scenarios, this could happen in case of a possible breakthrough in northwestern Ukraine, if "this would create a corridor between Ukraine and Belarus" and "then Minsk would be directly involved in the war."