Belarus said Friday that instructors from the Russian mercenary force Wagner were training its troops, AFP reported.

The short-lived rebellion was ended by a deal under which some Wagner fighters and their outspoken leader Yevgeny Prigozhin were supposed to move to Belarus.

But Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko had cast doubt on the deal when he said earlier this month that no Wagner fighters had moved to the country yet.

The Belarusian defenwe ministry appeared to confirm Friday that at least some Wagner fighters had arrived.

"Near Asipovichy, units of territorial defense troops are undergoing training," the defense ministry said in a statement.

"Fighters of the Wagner private military company are acting as instructors in a number of military disciplines," it said.

The ministry later added that it and Wagner had worked out "a road map for the near term on training and sharing experience" between various units.