Breaking News: Wagner mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin listed in Moscow plane crash

Wagner mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin was named as a passenger on a private jet that crashed north of Moscow on Wednesday evening, leaving no survivors, according to Russian authorities.

He was reportedly killed in a plane crash from Moscow to St. Petersburg in Russia, with nine other people on board.

Russian officials said a man with Prigozhin’s name was among the passengers, without elaborating further.

BBC reported that  a pro-Wagner Telegram channel Grey Zone claimed that the jet was shot down by air defences in Tver region, north of Moscow

Prigozhin has been off the radar since his short-lived rebellion against the Kremlin in June but resurfaced in a video some days ago.

Afrireporters cannot authoritatively confirm where the video posted online was recorded but Prigozhin’s comments and certain posts in pro-Wagner channels suggested it was shot in Africa.

Prigozhin was pictured standing in a region wearing camouflage and holding a gun. More armed men and a pickup truck can be seen in the distance.

“The temperature is +50 – everything as we like. The Wagner PMC makes Russia even greater on all continents, and Africa – more free. Justice and happiness – for the African people, we’re making life a nightmare for ISIS and Al-Qaeda and other bandits,” Prigozhin says in a video.

The head of the mercenary also said he’s recruiting people and the group “will fulfil the tasks that were set”.

Wagner soldiers are incorporated in countries such Mali and the Central African Republic (CAR) among others where Prigozhin has business interests.