Ten individuals have been killed in a non-public jet crash north of Moscow – with the Russian Civil Aviation Authority saying Yevgeny Prigozhin was on the passenger checklist.
Eight our bodies have to date been discovered on the web site of the airplane crash by the Russian emergency companies, in keeping with the RIA state information company.
Seven passengers and three crew had been on board the Embraer plane, TASS information company reported, which was en route from Moscow to St Petersburg.
The jet crashed close to the village of Kuzhenkino Tver area, 60 miles north of Moscow, in keeping with Russia’s emergency conditions ministry.
Multiple movies circulating on social media seem to indicate the jet crashing.
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“An investigation has been launched into the Embraer plane crash that occurred tonight in the Tver region. According to the passenger list, among them is the name and surname of Yevgeny Prigozhin,” Rosaviatsia mentioned.
Unconfirmed media studies recommend the enterprise jet belonged to Prigozhin, however it was not instantly clear if he had boarded the flight.
Prigozhin led a short-lived mutiny towards Russia’s high army brass in June, and was described on the time by Vladimir Putin as a “traitor”.
The revolt ended when Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko stepped in to dealer a deal – which noticed Prigozhin agreeing to relocate to neighbouring Belarus.
The Kremlin mentioned his fighters would both retire, observe him there, or be a part of the Russian army.
Prigozhin was final seen in a video on Monday that appeared to have been shot in Africa, the place he spoke about making the continent “free”.
The 62-year-old Wagner Group boss launched footage of himself talking whereas carrying camouflage and holding a rifle.
Prigozhin additionally described how Wagner was tackling terrorist teams within the area and added that the group needed to extend its presence in Africa.
He later shared particulars about Wagner’s recruitment within the video, which was accompanied by a phone quantity for many who needed to affix.
Once an in depth confidant of Vladimir Putin, Prigozhin had usually lambasted the likes of defence minister Sergei Shoigu and high basic Valery Gerasimov in public addresses over their dealing with of the Ukraine invasion.
Why did not Prigozhin see this coming?
Commenting on the jet crash, army analyst Sean Bell advised Sky News: “After that abortive coup, I don’t think any of us expected Prigozhin’s life expectancy to be more than I think we predicted three months. It looks like it’s two months.
Bell said that following the unsuccessful Wagner Group mutiny, led by Prigozhin, many would have expected Vladimir Putin to “act very swiftly and decisively”.
“Probably, because of the influence Prigozhin had, not only as an oligarch but as the leader of the Wagner Group, Putin would not want to make a martyr of him.
“Therefore there was a little bit of faucet dancing round what to do.”
Mr Bell added: “The solely query in my thoughts is why he did not see this coming. He appeared to be nonetheless remaining in circulation.
“He turned up at the Russian Africa conference only a few weeks back and seemed to be on the same stage as President Putin. And yet what it appears now very clearly that his card was marked, his days were numbered. And it’s no great surprise he’s met an untimely end.”
Source: information.sky.com”