INTERNATIONAL: The recent crash of a private jet in Russia has left the nation in shock, with prominent figures on board, including Yevgeny Prigozhin, the chief of the Wagner Group. Here is what we know about this tragic incident so far.
The Plane Crash: The Russian Emergencies Ministry confirmed that the jet crashed in the Tver Region, resulting in the loss of all ten people on board, including three crew members and seven passengers. The aircraft, identified as an Embraer 135BJ Legacy 600, was on route from Moscow to St. Petersburg when the incident occurred.
Passengers on Board: Rosaviatsiya, the Russian federal air transport agency, disclosed that among the passengers was Yevgeny Prigozhin, a significant figure in the Wagner Group, alongside several high-ranking Wagner commanders.
Social Media Coverage: Videos of the crash have circulated on social media, revealing the jet's descent in a seemingly uncontrollable spin, accompanied by a trail of black smoke. The precise location of the fire on the aircraft remains unclear. Additional clips reportedly from the crash site depict flaming wreckage scattered across a grassy area.
Uncertainty Surrounds Prigozhin's Fate: Despite Prigozhin's presence on the passenger list, Russian officials have not officially confirmed his death. As of late Wednesday evening, eight bodies had been recovered, but none had been identified due to severe burns. Some reports linked the plane's tail number, RA-02795, to Prigozhin. Flight-tracking site FlightRadar24 indicated that another plane associated with Prigozhin, bearing tail number RA-02878, departed Moscow but returned to land after news of the crash emerged. These reports remain unverified.
Other Notable Passengers: In addition to Prigozhin, the list of passengers included Dmitry Utkin, a former Russian special forces operator and alleged co-founder of the PMC, and Valery Chekalov, considered by the U.S. to be the deputy head of Wagner. The remaining passengers were Sergey Propustin, Evgeny Makaryan, Alexander Totmin, and Nikolay Matuseev, identified as Wagner personnel by Russian news outlets.
Prigozhin's Background: Yevgeny Prigozhin is a successful businessman in the catering industry and has enjoyed a close relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin. He founded the Wagner Group, a private military company (PMC), in 2014. While the group was formed in 2014 and participated in hostilities in Ukraine's Donbass region, Prigozhin only confirmed his affiliation last year.
Wagner Group's International Activities: Wagner troops have operated in several African countries and in Syria, where they reportedly clashed with U.S. forces in 2018.
Feuds and Mutiny: Amid the months-long battle for the city of Artyomovsk (known as Bakhmut in Ukraine), Prigozhin publicly criticized the Russian Defense Ministry, accusing senior officials of mismanagement and inadequate ammunition supply. He alleged in June that Russian forces shelled a Wagner field camp. Following this, Prigozhin announced his intention to lead his forces on a march to Moscow to remove allegedly corrupt military officials.
Putin's Response: Russian President Vladimir Putin termed the mutiny a "stab in the back" and pledged "decisive actions" to restore order. However, less than a day after it commenced, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko mediated a resolution. Prigozhin agreed that participants in the mutiny would be redeployed to Belarus, while those who declined would be integrated into units under the Russian Defense Ministry's control.
A New Video: After two months of silence, Prigozhin released a video, apparently filmed in Africa, on Monday. In the video, he mentioned the Wagner Group's reopening of recruitment and its engagement in "reconnaissance and search activities" against "ISIS, Al-Qaeda, and other bandits" across the continent.
(Source RT)
