State-controlled Russian news agencies reported on Wednesday that Yevgeny Prigozhin, the leader of the Wagner group that staged an uprising against the Russian army in June, was listed among the passengers of a plane that subsequently crashed. The TASS news agency cited Russia’s aviation agency Rosaviatsia, with both RIA Novosti and Interfax offering similar accounts. But Rescue team has not recovered body of Wagner Chief .
The crash involved a private Embraer Legacy aircraft en route from Moscow to Saint Petersburg. It took place near the village of Kuzhenkino in the Tver Region, according to an announcement by the emergency ministry. Initially, it was confirmed that the aircraft carried a total of 10 people, including 3 crew members, and preliminary reports indicated that there were no survivors.
Around 1700 GMT, the emergency ministry revealed that search operations were already underway in response to the crash. On Telegram channels linked to the Wagner group, videos emerged showing footage of the aircraft wreckage engulfed in flames in a field. However, these videos have not been independently verified by AFP.
In June, Prigozhin led a brief insurrection against the conventional Russian army, during which a substantial number of mercenaries took up arms and embarked on a march from southern Russia toward Moscow. Their objective was to overthrow the nation’s military leadership. The rebellion was ultimately quashed through a mediated arrangement involving Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko. As part of this agreement, Prigozhin and some of his associates were expected to relocate to neighboring Belarus.
Following these events, Prigozhin declined to relinquish his control over the Wagner group, though he largely withdrew from public view. A video emerged on Monday, purportedly featuring him in Africa, where he expressed his commitment to promoting greater freedom.
