unused base, trying to house wagner s mercenaries. reporter: this is the closest we have ever come to a wagner camp, not in russia or ukrainian front lines, but standing empty for now, this belarus. this is where we thought that soldiers invited to belarus could be housed, in a vast tent city that s supposedly unused site in tents like this set up to house a couple dozen fighters at any time. for the most part they re empty at the moment. that s because the plan to invite wagner and its leader over here now appears to be on hold. recent satellite images showed out quickly the camp was transformed, ready to house large numbers of troops.
the belarusian general who gave us access told me wagner forces could still be deployed here if the political decision is made. there s room for up to 5,000 soldiers at this camp alone, and we have other facilities, too. have you been told to prepare this camp for possible fighters? we have prepared it for training and for territorial defense, he says. it was the sudden announcement by the leader of belarus that nets wagner on its leader was in fact in the country that seems to have thrown planning into disarray. lukashenko insists the offer to help bring the uprising to an end, is still on the table. with new questions over wagner and its leader, it seems
attack. we should note, the u.s. and its allies are focussed on belarus. they are looking for signs. fighter are amassing there. looking to determine whether russia sent its tactical nuclear weapons there. matthew chance is reporting on where the wagner fighters would be stationed. reporter: this is the closest we have ever come to a wagner camp. not in russia nor the ukrainian front lines, but standing empty for now in belarus. this is where we thought that wagner soldiers invited to belarus could be housed. a vast tent city that this military use about 100 kilometers outside of the belarusian capital in tents like these that have been set up to house a couple dozen fighters at any given time. for the most part, empty at the
neither wagner for its leader was, in fact, in the country that seems to have thrown planning into disarray. luke s lukashenko insists his offer is still on the table. with new questions over wagner and its leader, it seems unlikely this would be wagner camp will be filled. what i think this shows is that the offer to house wagner fighters in belarus was genuine. the mood towards the group and its leader prigozhin is changing rapidly. the chance to leave russia to the camp in belarus may have passed. important reporting. thank you. democratic congressman adam smith of washington, the top democrat on the armed services committee. good to have you with us. the white house, as you well know, officially confirming
unlikely this would be wagner camp will ever now be filled. jake, what i this this shows is that the offer to shows wagner fighters in belarus was genuine, but the mood against the mercenary group and its leader yevgeny prigozhin, is changing rapidly. the chance to leave russia for that camp to belarus may have now passed. thank you so much, matthew. today marks wall street journal reporter evan gershkovich s imprisonment. his family, the u.s. state department and his employers categorically deny the accusations, and there haven t been any serious presentations of evidence about such things. jake sullivan confirmed talks