Wagner boss asks members to prepare for 'new journey in Africa'

Boss Wagner Prigozhin told his gunmen they would stop fighting in Ukraine and prepare for a new journey in Africa.

Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin's media agency on July 19 posted a video of him welcoming his forces to Belarus. "We fought with honor. You have done a lot for Russia. What is happening on the front line is a disgrace and we should not interfere," Prigozhin said.

The video was filmed at night and the image is not clear, but Prigozhin can be recognized by his appearance and voice.

Wagner boss tells fighters in Belarus — Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin addresses gunmen in Belarus. Video: *Telegram/@Prigozhin_hat*

Boss Wagner called on members of the force to treat local people well, help train the Belarusian army and gather strength for a "new journey to Africa".

"Perhaps we will return to the Ukrainian battlefield at some point, when we are sure that we will not be ashamed of ourselves," Prigozhin added.

Senior Wagner commander Dmitry Utkin also told the fighters that "this is not the end", but "just the beginning of the biggest job in the world". "Welcome to hell", Utkin told Wagner forces.

Yevgeny Prigozhin in a video posted on July 19. Screenshot — Yevgeny Prigozhin in a video posted on July 19. *Screenshot*

After 24 hours of unrest on June 24, Wagner reached an agreement with the Kremlin via Belarus and moved his forces to the country. Satellite imagery from July 17 shows a Wagner convoy heading to the abandoned Tsel base in Belarus, after lowering the flag and closing the training center in Russia.

The Belarusian Defense Ministry said on July 14 that Wagner members trained Belarusian soldiers in shooting, battlefield movement, as well as engineering and medical skills.

Wagner operates in many regions of the world, including African countries such as Libya, the Central African Republic and Sudan. This force is said to sign security contracts with countries in exchange for the right to mine gold and minerals there.