ISLAMABAD: Russia’s civil aviation authority confirmed that Yevgeny Prigozhin, the leader of the Wagner Group mercenary army, was among the ten individuals who lost their lives in a plane crash.
The Embraer aircraft, linked to Wagner through the Telegram channel Grey Zone, was reportedly brought down by air defenses in the Tver region, situated to the north of Moscow, as reported earlier.
With seven passengers and three crew members on board, the jet was en route from Moscow to St. Petersburg.
The Federal Agency for Air Transport initiated an investigation into the plane crash in the Tver region
The agency quoted, “An investigation into the Embraer plane crash that occurred in the Tver Region this evening has been launched. According to the passenger list, the first and last name of Yevgeny Prigozhin was included in this list.”
Failed Wagner Mutiny, Plane Crash, and Putin’s Response: Unraveling Events
In late June, the mutiny led by the Wagner boss against the Russian leadership ultimately proved unsuccessful.
According to Grey Zone, residents reported hearing two loud noises before the crash and witnessing two vapor trails.
Reports state that the plane caught fire while hitting the ground. The reports further added that “four bodies had already been found,” however, it is not immediately clear whether the Wagner chief’s body has been found.
The Russian air agency indicated that the aircraft had been airborne for less than half an hour.
In July, Russian government spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that President Vladimir Putin had a meeting with Prigozhin and his companions. During the three-hour meeting, President Putin extended an invitation to 35 individuals.
“The only thing we can say is that the president gave his assessment of the company’s [Wagner’s] actions at the front during the Special Military Operation [in Ukraine] and also gave his assessment of the events of 24 June [the day of the mutiny],” Peskov told the reporters.
He mentioned that Putin had attentively listened to the commanders’ personal explanations of the events. He had presented them with additional opportunities for both employment and combat.
