Russian mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin was reportedly listed as a passenger on a private jet that tragically crashed on Wednesday evening in the northern vicinity of Moscow, resulting in the loss of all lives on board, as confirmed by Russian authorities.
However, there has been no official verification regarding whether Prigozhin was physically present on the ill-fated aircraft, and UpdatedNews.ca could not immediately confirm his presence on the flight that went down north of Moscow.
Russian state news agency RIA, citing information from emergency services, reported the discovery of eight bodies at the crash site of the private jet.
The aviation agency of Russia, Rosaviatsia, stated that an investigation had been initiated into the crash of an Embraer plane in the Tver region. According to the passenger manifest, the name Yevgeny Prigozhin was among those on board, as reported by the state-owned TASS news agency.
Russia’s Ministry of Emergency Situations released a statement confirming the crash of a private Embraer Legacy aircraft, which was en route from Moscow to St. Petersburg. The crash occurred near the village of Kuzhenkino in the Tver Region. The statement indicated that there were ten individuals on board, including three crew members, and preliminary information suggested that there were no survivors.
Yevgeny Prigozhin, aged 62, had recently been at the forefront of a mutiny against Russia’s top military leadership on June 23-24, an event that President Vladimir Putin warned could have pushed Russia into a state of civil war. The mutiny was eventually resolved through negotiations, leading to a seemingly confidential agreement with the Kremlin, resulting in Prigozhin’s relocation to neighboring Belarus. Nevertheless, he appeared to move freely within Russia after the resolution of the conflict.
In a recent development, Prigozhin posted a video address on Monday, suggesting that it was filmed in Africa.