Belarusian Special Forces train on captured Ukrainian armored vehicles under Wagner Group supervision
Belarusian special forces from the "Vityaz" unit have been training using Ukrainian equipment captured by Russia, Belaruski Hajun reported. The training involved the Ukrainian Kozak armored vehicle and was conducted by Wagner Group fighters, who are banned from being mentioned in Belarus.
The exercises, which took place last week, were reported in the Internal Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs' Telegram channel. Participants included members of the "Vityaz" special forces unit, under the guidance of Wagner Group mercenaries, who were also present at the award ceremony. However, a key detail from the event was the appearance of the Ukrainian Kozak-5, a vehicle not previously supplied to Belarus. It suggests the armored vehicle might have been seized by Wagner Group fighters during operations in Ukraine.
Analysts are unsure whether the Kozak-5 was used during the "Vityaz" unit's training or if it was simply showcased for the photos. They noted that the mention of Wagner Group instructors remains banned in Belarus, a prohibition still actively enforced today.
This suggests the Kozak-5's presence could symbolize Wagner Group's involvement in the exercises. There have been prior instances of seized Ukrainian military equipment being used in Belarusian drills. For example, a captured Ukrainian KrAZ Cougar was used during territorial defense drills in the Osipovichi region in September 2023.