<<Print>>

Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin - who led a short-lived rebellion in Russia last month - is in Russia and not Belarus, the leader of Belarus says.

Prigozhin's whereabouts have been a mystery since he was seen in southern Russia during the mutiny.

Under a deal to end the stand-off, charges against Prigozhin were dropped and he and his fighters were to be allowed to move to Belarus.

Belarus leader Alexander Lukashenko helped broker the deal.

Just over a week ago Mr Lukashenko, who has ruled Belarus since 1994 and is widely thought to have rigged 2020 elections to maintain power, said Prigozhin had arrived in Belarus.

But on Thursday Mr Lukashenko told reporters: "As for Prigozhin, he's in St Petersburg. He is not on the territory of Belarus."
 
The BBC tracked Prigozhin's private jet flying to Belarus in late June, and returning to Russia the same evening.

It has since made several flights between St Petersburg and Moscow - although it is not clear if Prigozhin has been on board. The BBC also can't verify Mr Lukashenko's claim about the Wagner leader's current location.

On Thursday Mr Lukashenko added that "as far as I know" the rest of the Wagner fighters were still at their bases - which could include eastern Ukraine or a training base in Russia's Krasnodar region.