- By Daniele Palumbo and Adam Robinson
- BBC Verify
56 minutes ago
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Convoys of vehicles with Wagner flags are also heading towards Belarus
A large convoy of suspected Wagner fighters has arrived from Russia at a new camp in Belarus, new satellite images show.
BBC Verify’s analysis shows dozens of vehicles drove into the camp at Tsel, a disused military base in southern Belarus – some 64 miles (103 km) from the capital Minsk.
What do the latest satellite images show?
The camp first surfaced shortly after an agreement was reached in late June to end Wagner’s mutiny against the Russian military. Reportedly, part of the deal involved Wagner troops agreeing to deploy to Belarus.
Current images indicate that Wagner has now begun to relocate staff in large numbers.
Earlier satellite images from BBC Verify showed about 300 tents were set up in Tsel over a two-week period.
Meanwhile, channels linked to Wagner have posted footage on Telegram — a popular social messaging platform — that allegedly shows the group’s flags being lowered at their main training base in Molkino, in southern Russia’s Krasnodar.
Raising flags sometimes occurs when a military base is closed.
On Tuesday, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko – a Russia ally – said Wagner was “currently in their camps” in the country.
“If Belarus needs them, we will immediately call private military company Wagner to defend the nation,” Lukashenko said.
Which route did the Wagner convoy take?
A satellite image taken on July 17 shows a convoy of vehicles exiting Belarus’ M5 highway and heading towards the camp.
Another shot taken on the same day shows a convoy arriving at the camp.
Around the same time, a video posted to social media showed a number of vehicles with the flags of Russia and Wagner driving towards Tsel on the same highway.
The BBC geolocated the footage to the northern carriageway of the M5 just outside the town of Babruisk, some 70km south-east of Tsel.
Long convoys of vehicles with Wagner flags were also caught on video traveling within Russia en route to Belarus.
How many troops have moved?
It is currently unclear exactly how many troops will be transferred to Tsel.
Belarusian investigative journalism portal Hayun estimates that a total of 100 units — cars, trucks and coaches — and about 600 people may have traveled to Tsel.
BBC Verify counted 31 large vehicles – likely trucks – in footage of the convoy arriving in Tsel on Monday, although some may have been obscured by trees.
In an address to the Russian nation on June 26 – after the mutiny ended – President Vladimir Putin offered the Wagner fighters a choice of signing contracts directly with the Russian Defense Ministry or traveling to Belarus with leader Yevgeny Prigozhin.