Wagner Boss Presumed Dead in Russian Plane Crash
Facts
- The head of the Wagner mercenary group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, which in June launched a short-lived mutiny against Russia, is believed to be among 10 dead after a private jet crashed in the Tver region near Moscow on Wednesday.1
- While the death of the 62-year-old was yet to be officially confirmed, Russia's aviation regulator said he was named on the passenger list.2
- Officials also said that three crew members were alongside the seven passengers killed. It was added that an investigation has been launched.3
- While the cause of the crash has yet to be confirmed, a Telegram channel linked to Wagner claimed the plane was shot down by Russian air defenses. At the time of posting, it added that a second jet owned by Prigozhin was still circling the skies of Moscow. Online flight trackers later confirmed that it landed safely in the capital.4
- Meanwhile, videos posted to social media of the plane's final seconds appeared to show a plume of smoke rising from the plane as it descended before erupting into a ball of flames as it hit the ground.1
Sources: 1The Guardian, 2POLITICO, 3BBC News, and 4Al Arabiya English.
Narratives
- Pro-Russia narrative, as provided by TASS. The cause of this fatal crash is yet to be determined. Law enforcement officers are on the scene and an official investigation has been launched. Beyond that, not much can — or should — be stated, other than Yevgevny Prigozhin is believed to be among the 10 killed in the crash.
- Anti-Russia narrative, as provided by The Guardian. The Russian state had plenty of reasons to take out Yevgevny Prigozhin, least of all after his failed uprising that embarrassed Russia. While the details of this crash are not fully confirmed, it would be unsurprising if it was, in fact, a deliberate sabotage.