Belarus President Lukashenko says Wagner chief Prigozhin is in Russia 

Wagner Group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin, who led a short-lived armed rebellion against Moscow last month, is in Russia, Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko said Wednesday.

Multiple media outlets reported that Lukashenko told reporters at a press conference that the mercenary leader is in St. Petersburg, but he could have traveled somewhere else. Lukashenko’s remarks raise questions about the deal struck between Russia President Vladimir Putin and Prigozhin after the rebellion, which reportedly included allowing Prigozhin to go into exile and escape criminal prosecution after a deal was negotiated.

“In terms of Yevgeny Prigozhin, he is in St. Petersburg. Or maybe this morning, he would travel to Moscow or elsewhere,” Lukashenko said in response to a question from CNN during a press conference in Minsk. “But he is not on the territory of Belarus now.”

The agreement also said Wagner will hand over its heavy weapons to the Kremlin’s military, according to the Russian Defense Ministry. Lukashenko said last month that Prigozhin and some of his troops were welcome in his country “for some time” and at their expense.

It’s not clear whether Prigozhin’s reported travel to Russia would violate the deal. The Associated Press reported that when asked about where Prigozhin was, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov declined to comment and noted that the deal included Prigozhin going to Belarus.

Reuters reported that flight tracking data showed a business jet linked to Prigozhin left St. Petersburg and was headed toward Moscow on Wednesday morning. It’s not clear whether Prigozhin was on board, the outlet noted.

Lukashenko also said that he offered to station some Wagner members in Belarus.

“We are not building camps. We offered them several former military camps that were used in Soviet times, including near Osipovichi, if they agree. But Wagner has a different vision for deployment. Of course, I won’t tell you about this vision,” the Belarusian leader said at the press conference, according to Reuters.

The Associated Press contributed.