Keneci Channel
A low-resolution video posted to PMC Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin's Telegram account Wednesday, shows the mercenary commander addressing his soldiers as they arrive in Belarus, after the transfer of the group's flag from a base in Molkino, in Russia’s Krasnodar Krai, to the new base in Tsel.
"Welcome guys," Prigozhin says to his troops in the video which marks the first public appearance of the mercenary chief since his mutiny against the Russian government last month. "I am happy to greet you all. Welcome to the Belarusian land. We fought with dignity. We have done a lot for Russia."
Prigozhin suggests that the mercenaries will for now, not be participating in the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine. "What is going on the front line today is a shame in which we shouldn’t take part," he says. "We may return to the special military operation when we feel sure that we will not be forced to put shame on ourselves."
The mercenary commander is also heard stating that the Russian paramilitary group would be moving on to combat in Africa.
The timing of this video's recording has not been independently confirmed, and the identities of the subjects featured in the video have not been verified.
In comments published Friday in the business daily Kommersant, Russian President Vladimir Putin said he offered Wagner troops a chance to serve under the same commander during a meeting just days after their mutinous march on Moscow was thwarted.
Putin reportedly met with 35 mercenary commanders for about three hours on June 29 and spoke to them about their actions in Ukraine, the attempted mutiny -- which he had publicly called an act of treason -- and opportunities for future service. The Russian leader offered as one option, for Wagner to continue operating under the same commander, a man who goes by "Gray Hair" and who has led the group's operations in Ukraine the past 16 months.
WATCH the low-resolution video showing Prigozhin addressing his mercenaries.