In a shocking turn of events, Yevgeny Prigozhin, the notorious leader of the Wagner mercenary group, which attempted an unsuccessful coup against Russian President Vladimir Putin, has reportedly met his demise in a plane crash. Reuters, citing the Tass news agency, broke the news of Prigozhin's apparent demise. The Russian Civil Aviation Authority has confirmed that Prigozhin's name was on the list of passengers aboard the ill-fated flight.
The ill-fated plane was en route from Moscow to St. Petersburg when it tragically crashed, resulting in the loss of all 10 individuals aboard, including three crew members. Russia's emergency ministry conveyed this grim news, as reported by state newswire RIA Novosti. While Russian officials acknowledged the presence of an individual with Yevgeny Prigozhin's name among the passengers, they refrained from disclosing further details regarding his involvement in the flight.
Unconfirmed reports circulating in various media outlets have suggested that the aircraft may have belonged to Prigozhin, the founder of the Wagner private military company. However, Russia's civilian aviation regulator, Rosaviatsia, confirmed Prigozhin's presence on the passenger list but stopped short of clarifying whether he had indeed boarded the fateful flight, as reported by Reuters.
In response to this tragic incident, authorities have initiated an investigation into the plane crash, which occurred in the Tver region. Rosaviatsia, in a statement, said, "According to the passenger list, among them is the name and surname of Yevgeny Prigozhin."
Adding intrigue to the situation, unverified reports from a Wagner-linked Telegram channel called Grey Zone have suggested that the jet may have been shot down by air defenses in the Tver region, located north of Moscow, as reported by BBC.
Yevgeny Prigozhin's private military force, Wagner, has gained notoriety for its involvement in various conflicts, including fighting alongside Russia's regular army in Ukraine. Following the failed coup attempt, the Kremlin announced that Prigozhin would be exiled to Belarus, while his fighters would have the option to retire, accompany him to Belarus, or join the Russian military.
The circumstances surrounding Yevgeny Prigozhin's presence on the ill-fated flight and the details of the plane crash remain shrouded in mystery, leaving many unanswered questions and raising suspicions about the incident's true nature. Investigations into this tragic event are expected to shed more light on the situation in the days to come.
