Nato ready to face threat from ‘Moscow or Minsk’, says alliance head after Wagner chief’s exile

Nato chief Jens Stoltenberg, left, is greeted by Dutch prime minister Mark Rutte. Stoltenberg said the alliance stood ready to protect ‘every inch’ of territory in the wake of the Wagner group uprising in Russia. Photograph: Hollandse Hoogte/Shutterstock

Nato chief Jens Stoltenberg has said the alliance is ready to defend itself against any threat from “Moscow or Minsk” and has increased its military presence on its eastern flank in recent days after Belarus welcomed Wagner rebel leader Yevgeny Prigozhin.

“It’s too early to make any final judgment about the consequences of the fact that Prigozhin has moved to Belarus and most likely also some of his forces will also be located to Belarus,” Stoltenberg told reporters.