Vladimir Putin is preparing to dismantle the Wagner mercenary group, according to a Russian military expert amid a growing mystery surrounding their "purged" boss.
Footage appears to show a number of Wagner troops moving in Russia following their attempted coup.
Military vehicles were reportedly heading north along the M4 highway, which leads to the Russian capital.
The Belarusian number plates have sparked suggestions from one Russian military expert who says the group could be heading to encampments in Belarus.
Prigozhin has visited Belarus several times but is now thought to have been allowed to remain in Russia
Reuters
Writing on Telegram, Alexander Kots said: "There are buses with Belarusian numbers in the convoy, which may indirectly indicate the destination."
It comes after the Russian president said the mercenaries would be disbanded after the short-lived mutiny.
The Wagner group is said to have passed over thousands of tonnes of weaponry and ammunition to Russia's army.
The exchange followed a deal by Alexander Lukashenko - calling for a truce between Yevgeny Prigozhin and the Kremlin on June 24.
Prigozhin has visited Belarus several times but is now thought to have been allowed to remain in Russia.
The Russian warlord finally broken the silence to defend his armed mutiny against Moscow - a week after fleeing to Belarus.
He released a voice message to thank his supporters and justify his actions.
Speaking for the first time in a week, Prigozhin defended his attempted coup as a "march to justice".
A view shows howitzers, which were handed over by the Wagner mercenary group to Russia's regular armed forces, according to Russian Defence Ministry
Reuters
It comes as the Kremlin claimed Putin sat down with Prigozhin late last month to hear his reasons for the mutiny.
Robert Abrams, a retired general who served as the commander of US Forces in Korea, told ABC News he had his doubts about the alleged meeting.
Abrams said: "My personal assessment is that I doubt we’ll see Prigozhin ever again publicly.
"I think he'll either be put in hiding, or sent to prison, or dealt with some other way, but I doubt we’ll ever see him again."
