Russia's Wagner mercenary group said that it only operated in Africa and Russian ally Belarus, and its soldiers were no longer fighting in the Ukraine war, the group said in a rare statement on Monday.
Ukraine on Sunday called on Belarus to pull back what it described as significant forces deployed along their shared border. It said these included Belarus special forces and former Wagner mercenaries. "There are no divisions of the company in the Russian National Guard, in the ranks of the Russian Ministry of Defense, or anywhere else," the group said.
Wagner "is not participating in the Special Military Operation at this stage," it said, using the Kremlin's preferred term for the war in Ukraine. Reuters was not able to verify that assertion. "In case of a change in the situation, it will be announced," Wagner said.