Russian state media: Mercenary chief Prigozhin was in plane crash
By: NBC News
I guess he wouldn't fit thru the window...
Russian state media reported on Wednesday that Yevgeny Prigozhin, the leader of the Wagner mercenary group who led an aborted mutiny earlier this year, was listed as a passenger on a jet that crashed north of Moscow.
NBC News was not able to confirm the news.
Prigozhin was among the seven passengers aboard an Embraer business jet that went down in the Tver region, the Federal Air Transport Agency told the Tass state news agency.
"According to the Federal Air Transport Agency, an investigation has been launched into the Embraer crash," RIA Novosti reported. "Among the passengers is the name and surname of Evgeny Prigozhin."
Three pilots were killed in the crash, Tass said, adding that the agency had launched an investigation into the crash.
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Russian officials were not immediately available for comment.
Prigozhin's future has been a mystery since his Wagner fighters captured the southern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don on June 23, before they began to march on Moscow, stopping around 120 miles from the capital after an alleged deal brokered by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.
It was meant to see Prigozhin go into exile in Belarus and his fighters either sign contracts with the Russian Defense Ministry or join him there.
The mutiny followed months of public criticism and mockery from Prigozhin of Russia's top military brass, accusing them of incompetence throughout the war Ukraine.
The Kremlin's treatment of Prigozhin since the rebellion has nonetheless confounded many observers.
Although Russian President Vladimir Putin called Wagner's rebellion treason and a criminal investigation was initially launched, it did not appear that Prigozhin, the Russian leader's once close ally was facing charges or any real punishment for the stunning challenge.
News of the crash broke a day after Prigozhin appeared to have given his first video address since the mutiny that shook the Kremlin.
Dressed in military fatigues and wearing a bulletproof vest featuring the Wagner logo, a person who appeared to be Prigozhin was filmed standing in a desert-like area.
Hinting at his location in the 41-second clip, which was published by several Telegram channels affiliated with Wagner on Monday, the man vowed to make Africa "more free" and "Russia even greater on every continent."
NBC News was not able to verify the video's authenticity, as well as when or where it was shot.
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gee, who didn't see this coming.
At least he didn't fall out of a window like some others.
it's a developing story, he could still be alive...
I didn't see any mention of survivors including Prigozhin - just three pilots dead - did I miss something
anyone's guess is as valid as any other at this point...
Wink, wink, nudge, nudge
I just saw on another story that he is dead. Though I tend to doubt that poster, whatever they post.
He fought the bear, and the bear won.
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Sounds like someone "forgot" to fuel the plane.
it could all be bullshit, since the news is coming from russian state media...
it was part of a 2 plane convoy. the other plane will be landing soon if it hasn't already. that could be an interesting reception committee on the tarmac...
Yeah, I can't wait.
Maybe they ran out of windows?
they wouldn't have been able to fit that guy's melon thru one of those little airplane windows...
maybe if they used a sledge hammer...
That would have been poetic justice.
Russian State Media, they have a great reputation for being honest and accurate. /S
Seems like this should have been common knowledge, but when you rebel against a tyrant, don't stop half way and expect to live.
I have to agree with you Sean. I don't get why he bothered to make a deal with Putin. His death sentence was imminent.
gee, it looks like a wing fell off around 26K feet ...
I'm speculating it was a russian air force missile and putin will now blame the ukrainians, nato, and us...
A wing fell off? Yeah...that's not suspicious at all
the wing falling off was probably due to a missile strike...
Morning..nah Putin will say the plane was struck by lightning and it was divine intervention..so it wasn't him..🤣🤣🤣
I didn't think Putin believed in "Divine Intervention" unless it's his own...because...ya know...he is a god....in his own mind
I wonder what is worse: being strapped down with your eyes open and being murdered by a hammer blow to the head, or watching your own death being propelled over 5 vertical miles into the ground. Karma.
... while burning to death. looks like his mercenary biz is under new ownership, and he may have even left a huge group of armed russian insurrectionists behind.
Reports from Russia say it was a Russian Air Defense missile took it down.
Interesting. It makes sense.
Earlier, Wagner-linked Telegram channel Grey Zone reported that the private plane, which belonged to the 62-year-old, was shot down by air defences.
They also officially fired Sergei Surovikin, the Air Force Chief and one of Progozhin's friends.
he was probably more afraid of the wagner's coming after him than putin. isn't he missing now?
but why?
He's not been seen publicly since Proghzhin's failed march on Moscow. He was a close friend of Proghzhin and talked with Proghzihn then. There is also the recent failed lunar probe.
So he's crying in his borscht?
He's probably under house arrest somewhere. Maybe Siberia?
Putin? I thought he was the one who put people under house arrest...or defenstrated them
At least it was likely a quicker death than polonium-laced tea.
... or turning a hot door knob.
From this seed:
"Prigozhin's future has been a mystery since his Wagner fighters captured the southern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don"
I expected Priggy to die from a "heart attack" (Putin poison).
Butt, Putin decided to sacrifice an airplane to kill him.
Why did Putin crash it into the South Pole of the Moon?
I guess poison tipped umbrellas were getting a little too obvious.
a billion dollar hit requires an explosion...
What a surprise.
a hostile business acquisition, russian style...
A photo of the plane as it headed straight down.
Yup, that's straight down.
Putin was playing lawn darts that day. He won
Prigozhin was as bad as Putin. One was sure to murder the other. It's only sad for the other occupants of the aircraft.
Quid Wagner Africa?
In some ways worse. Progozhin was brutal and unpredictable.
Whereas Putin is brutally and totally predictable.
The Wagner group is now issuing threats at Putin.
gee, I wonder when US fascists will start assassinating each other...
they always turn on each other in the end