Wagner leader Yevgeny Prigozhin presumed lifeless after Russia airplane crash

Russian mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin used to be at the passenger checklist of a jet which crashed in Russia killing all 10 other folks on board, Russia’s civil aviation authority says.

Social media connected to the Wagner mercenary crew say his personal airplane used to be shot down through Russian air defences.

Prigozhin died “on account of movements of traitors to Russia”, the Gray Zone Telegram channel posted.

Prigozhin led an aborted mutiny in opposition to Russia’s military in June.

Then again, some professionals in Russia and in a foreign country counsel the rebel used to be staged, and Prigozhin deserted his “justice march” on Moscow after direct orders from President Vladimir Putin.

Wednesday’s crash within the Tver area, north-west of the capital Moscow, comes at the identical day that senior Russian normal Sergei Surovikin used to be reportedly sacked as air drive leader.

Gen Surovikin used to be identified to have excellent family members with Prigozhin and had no longer been observed in public for the reason that mutiny.

Prigozhin’s plane – an Embraer-135 (EBM-135BJ) – used to be flying from Moscow to St Petersburg on Wednesday with seven passengers and 3 team, Russia’s Rosaviatsia aviation authority mentioned.

Senior Wagner commander Dmitry Utkin – who based the gang in 2014 – used to be additionally at the passenger checklist, it mentioned.

The airplane is reported to have come down close to the village of Kuzhenkino, about half-way between Moscow and St Petersburg.

One document mentioned the frame of Prigozhin, 62, have been discovered and known – this has no longer been formally showed.

All 10 our bodies were recovered, Russia’s state-run information company Interfax mentioned.

Gray Zone mentioned native citizens had heard two bangs ahead of the crash and had observed two vapour trails.

Tass information company mentioned the airplane had stuck fireplace on hitting the bottom.

The plane have been within the air for not up to half-an-hour, it added.

An investigation has been introduced into the crash and emergency services and products are looking out the scene.

On the identical time, Gray Zone reported {that a} 2d trade jet owned through Prigozhin had landed safely within the Moscow area.

The mercenary crew has about 25,000 combatants.

The gang has been energetic in Ukraine, Syria and west Africa, and has received a name for brutality.

Prigozhin headed the mutiny on 23-24 June, transferring his troops from Ukraine, seizing the southern Russian town of Rostov-on-Don, and perilous to march on Moscow.

The transfer got here after months of anxiety with Russian army commanders over the invasion of Ukraine introduced through President Putin in 2014.

The stand-off gave the impression to were settled through a deal which allowed Wagner troops to transport to Belarus or sign up for the Russian military.

However a number of Russia watchers have described him as a “lifeless guy strolling” for the reason that mutiny.

President Putin’s preliminary response to his problem to Russia’s defence status quo used to be vitriolic, calling it a betrayal and a stab within the again in a video message on 24 June.

The deal didn’t imply he used to be secure.

“Revenge”, commented CIA director William Burns, “is a dish Putin prefers served chilly” – or phrases to that impact.

None of this, after all, is evidence that Prigozhin and his entourage have been intentionally centered.

However given the instances any claims that his dying, if showed, used to be an coincidence will see a large number of eyebrows raised.

US President Joe Biden mentioned he used to be “no longer shocked” through information of Prigozhin’s imaginable loss of life.