Media: German intelligence could listen to negotiations between Lukashenka and Prigozhin

The Federal Intelligence Service (BND) of Germany could listen to the negotiations of the President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko and the founder of PMC “Wagner” Yevgeny Prigozhin during an attempted armed rebellion on June 24. About it informs TV channel ARD with reference to the investigation of the television and radio broadcasting companies WDR and NDR, which are part of the media group of the same name.

It is alleged that about a week before the events of June 24, German intelligence had suspicions about a possible attempt at an armed rebellion by a PMC led by Prigozhin. According to ARD, BND’s attempt to verify this information with partners was unsuccessful. Then the intelligence decided not to inform the Chancellor about the available data.

The channel clarifies that intelligence sent a warning of a mutiny to the federal government on the evening of June 23. The BND representative declined to comment on the information about the possible wiretapping of negotiations between Lukashenko and Prigozhin, noting that intelligence does not publicly comment on issues related to its activities.

According to the investigative journalism, BND began monitoring messages and calls from Wagner as early as 2022, which allowed it to be “quite well informed” about the company’s activities. But then an employee of the department named Carsten L. informed Moscow about the wiretapping. In December 2022, German prosecutors announced his arrest on charges of treason for collaborating with Russian intelligence.

On June 24, Lukashenka participated in negotiations with Prigozhin, who attempted a military revolt in Russia. As a result of negotiations in the evening of the same day, it became known that the fighters and equipment of PMCs would return to the rear camps, the criminal case against Prigozhin would be stopped, and he himself would “leave for Belarus.” June 26 Russian President Vladimir Putin thanked Lukashenka for his efforts and contribution to the peaceful resolution of the situation.

Former German Chancellor Olaf Scholz declaredthat the actions of PMC “Wagner” came as a surprise to Berlin. According to him, the German secret services did not know in advance about the preparation of the rebellion, despite the fact that “they always tried to monitor the situation in Russia.”