"There are no more Wagner fighters in Syria," said an anonymous source in the Syrian government to the Russian news agency Russia Today. According to them, all Wagner activities have also been stopped in Syria.
Syrian officials claim that now in the areas controlled by Damascus, only large state-owned Russian companies and regular Russian army units are operating. Their main base is located at the Khmeimim airport.
Russia Today noted that Russian investigators questioned military personnel at Khmeimim, who were associated with PMC Wagner in the past, but no one was detained.
Previously, Syrian opposition claimed that after Prigozhin's rebellion, Russian military police arrested three PMC unit commanders stationed in Syria.
The Israeli news site Nziv, specializing in the Middle East, reported that in early 2018, Prigozhin heavily invested in the development of three oil fields in the Syrian desert. Money was transferred to the Assad regime's budget through the companies Vilada and Mercury.
"Natsiv" noted that Prigozhin, through the companies Apropolis and Capital, also acquired shares in several operational oil fields that were recaptured in early 2018 from ISIS.
Under an agreement with the Assad regime, Prigozhin received 25 percent of the revenue from these investments.
Until now, these facilities have been protected by Wagner mercenaries.
In mid-2020, Novaya Gazeta published an investigation stating that Prigozhin received around $20 million per month from the sale of Syrian natural resources. Russian opposition leader Mark Feygin stated on June 26 that the PMC owner managed funds and assets worth $15 billion.
The Wall Street Journal reported today that Russian officials went to Mali, the Central African Republic, and Syria to take control of commercial facilities owned by the Wagner owner.
In Russia itself, the seizure of Prigozhin's properties began immediately after the failed rebellion.
Thus, Prigozhin's famous "troll factory" has been paralyzed for almost a week.
Employees of many Prigozhin media companies are awaiting an imminent change of ownership.
According to them, the management will be replaced in Prigozhin's Patriot holding.
Belarus confirms the arrival of Yevgeny Prigozhin.
Wagner leader Yevgeny Prigozhin flew into exile in Belarus with his private jet on Tuesday, as Moscow claimed the paramilitary force had agreed to surrender its weapons after the group's failed rebellion.
"Yes, indeed, he is in Belarus today," said Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko in comments first reported by Belta, the country's national news agency.
Prigozhin, a 62-year-old former convict who rose to become Russia's most powerful mercenary, was last seen in public when he left Rostov-on-Don on Saturday, a major city in southern Russia briefly occupied by his forces.
Earlier on Tuesday, Russia's FSB security service dropped charges against participants in the failed Wagner rebellion as part of a deal negotiated by Belarusian dictator and Vladimir Putin involving the rebels' commander moving to Belarus.
Speaking before state officials, Lukashenko said that he had offered the Wagner forces an "abandoned base" in Belarus.
"Prepare your tents... We can help in any way we can," said Lukashenko, adding that Belarus should not fear Prigozhin's troops, whom he described as the "most combat-ready unit in the Russian army" in a dig at Moscow.
Lukashenko also gave behind-the-scenes details of negotiations on Saturday, claiming that he had spoken to Putin to prevent the killing of Prigozhin.
"I understand: a tough decision was made—to eliminate Prigozhin," Lukashenko said.
"I told Putin, yes, we can eliminate him, it won't be a problem, if it.