Russia May No Longer Be Funding Mercenary Wagner Group, Claims UK Military Intelligence

In its latest intelligence briefing, Britain’s Ministry of Defence said on Sunday that there is a “realistic possibility” that Russia is no longer funding the operations of the mercenary Wagner Group.

Following Yevgeny Prigozhin’s apparent failed insurrection against the Kremlin in June, the Russian government of Vladimir Putin has been acting “against some other business interests” of the Wagner chief, according to the UK defence ministry, which suggested that this may point to Moscow cutting financial ties altogether from the warlord.

In a statement posted on social media, the MoD said: “The Wagner Group is likely moving towards a down-sizing and reconfiguration process, largely to save on staff salary expenses at a time of financial pressure.”

“Since the abortive mutiny of June 2023, the Russian state has acted against some other business interests of Wagner owner Yevgeny Prigozhin. There is a realistic possibility that the Kremlin no longer funds the group.”

The Ministry of Defence said that if Moscow is no longer funding the Wagner group, it is plausible that their new “paymasters are the Belarussian authorities.”

“However, the sizable force would be a significant and potentially unwelcome drain on modest Belarusian resources,” the MoD said.

In the wake of the apparent failed coup attemp from Prigozhin, President Vladimir Putin demanded that his forces either disband, join the Russian military, or go to neighbouring Belarus, where Prigozhin was sent in effective exile.

Since arriving in Belarus — a chief ally of Moscow — Wagner forces have reportedly travelled to the country’s border with Poland, sparking concern of a potential military action against the NATO country and resulting in the Polish government mobilising some 10,000 troops to the border.

In a potentially veiled threat, Belarusian strongman Alexander Lukashenko said during a meeting last month with Putin that the Wagner forces were looking to “go on tour” in Poland.

Tensions rose further when two Belarusia military helicopters entered Poland’s airspace last week, which Warsaw considered a deliberate provocation.

Although Minsk has allowed its territory to be a staging ground for invasion, Lukashenko’s government has so far attempted to remain on the sidelines of the war in Ukraine. Concerns have risen, however, following the announcement in June that Belarus will host Russian tactical nuclear weapons.

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