Lukashenko's role in ending mutiny 'humiliating' for Putin
The president of Belarus may capitalise on his role in ending the Wagner mutiny in order to delay Vladimir Putin's increasingly formalised control of the nation, according to military analysts.
Alexander Lukashenko reportedly used his own channels to negotiate with Wagner leader Yevgeny Prigozhin and de-escalated the situation using "unspecified influence", the Institute for the Study of War said.
"The optics of Belarusian President Lukashenko playing a direct role in halting a military advance on Moscow are humiliating to Putin," said the US think-tank.
This may have secured him other benefits, such as preventing Mr Putin from using Belarusian forces in Ukraine or furthering the Union-State agreement, it added.
The Union State of Russia and Belarus is a series of treaties on policy integration signed by the two nations which have been seen as an attempt by Mr Putin to "soft annex" Russia's neighbour.
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