Lukashenko orders Belarus to be on ‘full combat readiness’ as Russia implodes

The President of Belarus has put his country’s army on “full combat readiness” in the wake of Wagner’s muntiny in Russia.

Speaking at at a news conference about the mercenary’s 24-hour revolt in Russia, he said: “I gave all the orders to bring the army to full combat readiness.

“I won’t hide it, it was painful to watch the events taking place in southern Russia. I’m not the only one. Many of our citizens took [these events] to heart. Because the Fatherland is one.

“If Russia collapses, we will be left under the rubble, all of us will die.”

The Belarusian President reportedly negotiated the deal to take in Russian mercenary boss Yevgeny Prigozhin and his soldiers after he launched a mutiny on the Kremlin over its percieved failures in Ukraine.

The reported agreement for him to go into exile in Belarus would place him in a country where such behavior is even less acceptable than in his homeland.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Saturday that Lukashenko “has been acquainted with Mr. Prigozhin for a long time, at least 20 years”.

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