Yevgeny Prigozhin, the leader of the Russian mercenary organization known as the Wagner Group, died in a plane crash two months after attempting an armed rebellion.
Despite President Vladimir Putin's decision not to punish Prigozhin for ending the revolt, continuous concerns about his safety have unfortunately become a reality.
Foreign reports on the 23rd (local time) revealed that Russian disaster authorities announced, "An Embraer Legacy jet heading from Moscow to St. Petersburg crashed near Kuzenkino in the Tver region," adding that "all 10 onboard, including 3 crew members, are believed to have died."
Kuzenkino is approximately 300 km from Moscow towards St. Petersburg. The aviation authorities confirmed that Prigozhin's name was on the passenger list. However, it was still unclear if he was truly onboard.
The Russian Federal Investigative Committee has commenced an inquiry, and while 8 bodies have been identified at the crash site, Prigozhin's fate wasn't immediately revealed. Later, it was confirmed that both Prigozhin and Dmitry Utkin, Prigozhin's close associate and co-founder of the Wagner Group, were onboard.
The pro-Wagner telegram channel, Grayzone, also confirmed Prigozhin's death in the crash. They had earlier speculated about the survival chances of Prigozhin, pointing out that two Wagner Group planes were flying simultaneously, and after one crashed, the other returned to the airport in southern Moscow. However, their stance changed.
Intriguingly, Grayzone claimed that Russian anti-aircraft systems shot down the Wagner Group's plane. Some local media also reported that the aircraft was intercepted by air defense systems within 30 minutes of takeoff.
The AP cited flight tracking data suggesting that the signal from a plane registered to the Wagner Group was lost a few minutes after taking off from Moscow that evening. Moreover, the markings on the crashed plane reportedly matched those of previously photographed Wagner Group aircrafts.
Reuters, citing local media, reported that before the crash, Prigozhin, Utkin, and their entourage had a meeting with the Ministry of Defense in Moscow.
Social media platforms showcased videos presumably showing an aircraft with one wing detached, plunging vertically engulfed in smoke.
[Korean reaction]
"Wow!!! To kill one Prigozhin, they simply kill ten others. Putin, the murderous warmonger, is indeed remarkable."
"It's obvious... A failed rebellion only leads to death. Halting the attack on Moscow means Prigozhin has given up his life."
"In the end, it comes down to assassination. Putin is a terrifying man."
"It wasn't a plane crash; Putin probably had it shot down."
"It was foreseeable, so it's not that surprising."
"If Prigozhin is alive, he might be faking his death. I'd say he's having a blast."
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