Mr Lukashenko allowed Belarusian territory to be used to launch the Kremlin's invasion of Ukraine in February last year. Restricting access to the websites of sanctioned Belarusianīelarus, led by President Alexander Lukashenko since 1994, is Russia's staunchest ally among ex-Soviet states. With social media companies and internet service providers The government said it would be able to prevent designatedīelarusian media companies from 'spreading propaganda in the UK' Technologies and materials that could be used to produce Wood and rubber from Belarus and blocking exports to Belarusįrom Britain of banknotes and machinery, as well as goods, The package also consists of banning the import of gold, cement, The UK has announced a new package of sanctions against Belarus for its role inįacilitating Russia's invasion of Ukraine.Īnd new measures aimed at preventing internet propaganda. We should expect to see the group back in action again, perhaps in Bakhmut if Ukraine is successful at encircling the city. Wagner needs to rest and recuperate after the extended Bakhmut battle. It may not be the case, however, that Mr Prigozhin is losing power by not being Mr Putin's favoured mercenary group.

Now Chechen mercenaries are leading Russia's offensive in the Donbas - the area the country continues to focus on as its 'main effort'.īut the Chechen army has not made any progress - the frontline they are fighting has not moved since 2015.īy using other military groups, Mr Putin starves Mr Prigozhin of employment, money and influence.īut Mr Putin is also starved of Wagner's success. Wagner's leader Yevgeny Prigozhin - who described his mercenaries as the 'best army in the world' - delivered success where the Russian army failed.Īnd so Mr Prigozhin's influence became a threat to Mr Putin. Military analyst Sean Bell says the success of the Wagner Group resulted in friction between the mercenaries and the regular Russian army. Senior officers within the military group continue to use high-profile military events, including the dam blast, to criticise Russian defence forces, according to the Institute of the Study of War. The tensions between Vladimir Putin and the Wagner Group continue to rise.

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