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Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko describes Wagner fighters in Belarus as "genuine fighters" that he wants to "keep as a unit". Speaking during a visit to an agricultural enterprise near the Polish border, he says "they help us completely for free". Lukashenko's comments come as Poland and Lithuania consider closing their borders with his Moscow-allied state over the presence of Wagner fighters. Belarus is hosting the mercenary group's personnel after their short-lived rebellion against Russia's top military brass. IMAGES AND SOUNDBITES
LanguageEnglish
Transcript/ScriptTITLE: RAW BELARUS RUSSIA UKRAINE VIDI33QG9GM
HEADLINE: Belarus to keep Wagner fighters 'as a unit' says Lukashenko
COMMENT: - Alexander Lukashenko, President of Belarus
KEYWORDS: Alexander Lukashenko, , BLR, , Brest region
DESCRIPTION: Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko describes Wagner fighters in Belarus as "genuine fighters" that he wants to "keep as a unit". Speaking during a visit to an agricultural enterprise near the Polish border, he says "they help us completely for free". Lukashenko's comments come as Poland and Lithuania consider closing their borders with his Moscow-allied state over the presence of Wagner fighters. Belarus is hosting the mercenary group's personnel after their short-lived rebellion against Russia's top military brass. IMAGES AND SOUNDBITES
=====SCRIPT TEXT DATA=====
SHOTLIST
FOR AFP SUBSCRIBERS ONLY (NO RESALE)
BREST REGION, BELARUS
AUGUST 1, 2023
SOURCE: TELEGRAM / @PULPERVOGO (PUL PERVOGO)
RESTRICTIONS:
EDITORIAL USE ONLY
IMAGES (00:19)
1. Mid shot Belarusian President, Alexander Lukashenko, speaks to people during a visit to an agricultural enterprise in the Brest region of western Belarus
2. Wide shot Belarusian President, Alexander Lukashenko, speaks to people during his visit to an agricultural enterprise
3. Wide shot Belarusian President, Alexander Lukashenko, speaks to people during his visit to an agricultural enterprise
4. Pan left a crowd of people listening to Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko's speech
5. SOUNDBITE 1 - Alexander Lukashenko, President of Belarus (male, Russian, 25 sec):
"I've been hearing of late that Poland has become angry about a unit of 100 people allegedly coming here [ed. to western Belarus]. No, PMC Wagner squads of 100 people have not moved here. And if they did, it's only to share combat experience with the [ed. Belarusian] brigades located in Brest and Grodno. I have to train my own military."
6. SOUNDBITE 2 - Alexander Lukashenko, President of Belarus (male, Russian):
"They [ed. Wagner] help us completely for free, even though they are mercenaries who fought and worked everywhere for money."
7. SOUNDBITE 3 - Alexander Lukashenko, President of Belarus (male, Russian):
"To be honest, I want to keep them [ed. Wagner fighters in Belarus] as a unit. These are genuine fighters who have been through the war."
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AFP TEXT STORY:
Poland, Lithuania mull shutting Belarus border over Wagner
Vilnius, July 28, 2023 (AFP) -
Poland and Lithuania are considering closing their respective borders with Belarus amid concerns over the presence there of the Wagner mercenary group, a Lithuanian deputy interior minister said on Friday.
"The considerations are real. The possibility of closing the border exists," Arnoldas Abramavicius told reporters.
Belarus has been hosting Wagner fighters following their short-lived rebellion against Russia's top military brass.
Lithuania repeatedly warned its Western allies that Wagner mercenaries could disguise themselves as asylum seekers trying to cross Belarus's borders with EU member states, or stage provocations involving refugees.
"It could be some groups of refugees, irregular migrants being transferred in order to cause some kind of unrest," Abramavicius said.
Poland's ruling party chairman Jaroslaw Kaczynski said on Friday that Wagner fighters "are not in Belarus for fun".
"They are there to create various types of crises, primarily directed against Poland," Kaczynski said, adding that Poland has been building up its defence capabilities "so that these provocations, these activities, fail".
Both Poland and Lithuania erected fences on their borders with Belarus and Russia, accusing Minsk and Moscow of orchestrating migrant influxes into the EU in order to destabilise the bloc.
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