He’s gone! Moscow confirms Prigozhin’s death in plane crash
Mandatory Credit: Photo by Prigozhin Press Service/SIPA/Shutterstock (14003830g) FILE - Wagner Group founder Yevgeny Prigozhin addresses his withdrawing from Bakhmut, the city captured from the Ukrainian Armed Forces. May 25, 2023. Wagner forces have t withwing from Bakhmuand will hand over positions of the Russian army, says the mercenary group's chief Yevgeny Prigozhin, having claimed to have captured Ukraine's eastern city. (Prigozhin Press Service via SIPA) SIPA PRESS PROVIDES ACCESS TO THIS PUBLICLY DISTRIBUTED HANDOUT PHOTO PROVIDED BY CONCORDGROUP OFFICIAL OFFICE FILE - Yevgeny Prigozhin, Bakhmut, Ukraine - 04 Jul 2023
Russian authorities have confirmed the death of Wagner Group chief Yevgeny Prigozhin on Sunday, putting to rest any speculation whether he was on the aircraft that crashed Wednesday, killing all passengers on board .
According to Russian Investigative Committee spokeswoman Svetlana Petrenko, genetic tests on the ten bodies retrieved at the crash site “conform to the manifest” for the flight.
Russia’s civil aviation authorities earlier announced that Prigozhin and some of his top officers were among the seven passengers and three crew members on the flight.
The Investigative Committee made no mention of what prompted the private jet to crash midway between Moscow and St. Petersburg.
An initial US intelligence assessment found that the airliner was brought down by a deliberate explosion.
The Kremlin dismissed it as a “complete lie” , a claim that president Vladimir Putin was behind his death.
Prigozhin has been off the radar since his short-lived rebellion against the Kremlin in June but resurfaced in a video reportedly recorded in Africa some days ago.
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 said in what should be his last 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.
