According to Belarusian ruler Alexander Lukashenko, tensions between the Russian mercenary group Wagner and the Russian army have been poorly managed. “The situation slipped away from us and we thought it would resolve itself, but it didn’t,” Lukashenko said, according to the Belarusian state news agency Belta on Tuesday. “There are no heroes in this case.”

“I have to say it was very painful for me to watch,” said the Belarusian ruler about developments in southern Russia.

During the Wagner mercenary uprising in Russia at the weekend, the Belarusian army was put on combat readiness, according to ruler Alexander Lukashenko. “I gave all the orders to put the army on full combat readiness,” Lukashenko said, according to Belarusian news agencies on Tuesday.

“If Russia collapses, we will all be under the rubble”

The longtime ruler in Belarus acted on Saturday as a mediator between the Kremlin and Wagner boss Yewegni Prigozhin, who finally announced the end of the revolt. “Evgeny Prigozhin accepted the proposal of the President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko to stop the movement of armed people of the Wagner group on Russian territory and to take further steps to de-escalate tensions,” the Belarusian official said.

According to Belta, Lukashenko now accused the Russian media and the Belarusian opposition working from exile of not having correctly presented the situation. Also appealed to unity between Belarus and Russia. “If Russia collapses, we will lie under the rubble and everyone will die,” he said pathetically.