MOSCOW — A video released Wednesday appears to show Russian mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin for the first time since he led a short-lived rebellion last month, and he is seen telling his troops they will spend some time in Belarus training its military before deploying to Africa.
Messaging app channels linked to Prigozhin's Wagner private military company said he spoke at a field camp in Belarus and ran a blurry video purported to show him there, his silhouette seen against the sky at dusk. His gravelly voice was clearly distinguishable.
“Welcome guys! I am happy to greet you all. Welcome to the Belarusian land!” the video showed him saying. “We fought with dignity! We have done a lot for Russia.”
Prigozhin's mutiny, which posed the most serious threat to President Vladimir Putin's 23-year rule, was billed by the mercenary chief as being aimed at ousting Russia's top military leaders whom he accused of incompetence.
Prigozhin's criticism of the conduct of the fighting in Ukraine was repeated in the new video, the authenticity of which could not be immediately verified.
“What is going on the front line today is a shame in which we shouldn't take part,” he said, adding that Wagner forces could return to Ukraine in the future.
“We may return to the special military operation when we feel sure that we will not be forced to put shame on ourselves,” Prigozhin said, using the same term that the Kremlin…
