Putin Breaks Silence on Plane Crash That Russia Claims Killed Wagner’s Prigozhin
Putin Breaks Silence on Plane Crash That Russia Claims Killed Wagner’s Prigozhin
Russian President Vladimir Putin has broken his silence on the plane crash that Russia claims killed Yevgeny Prigozhin, the founder of the Wagner mercenary group.
In a statement released on Saturday, Putin said that he was “deeply saddened” by the news of Prigozhin’s death. He said that Prigozhin was a “successful businessman” and a “patriot” who had “made a significant contribution to the development of Russia.”
Putin’s statement did not explicitly confirm that Prigozhin was killed in the plane crash. However, Russian officials have said that there were no survivors from the crash, and Prigozhin’s name was on the passenger manifest.
The plane crash took place on Friday in the Central African Republic. The aircraft, a Antonov An-26, was carrying a group of Wagner mercenaries when it crashed shortly after takeoff. All 33 people on board were killed.
The Wagner Group is a private military contractor that has been accused of carrying out a number of operations on behalf of the Russian government, including in Syria and Ukraine. The group has been linked to a number of human rights abuses, including torture and extrajudicial killings.
Prigozhin is a close ally of Putin and has been referred to as “Putin’s chef” because of his ownership of a number of restaurants in Moscow. He has also been sanctioned by the United States and the European Union for his alleged role in the Wagner Group.
Prigozhin’s death is a significant blow to the Wagner Group. He was the group’s founder and leader, and his death will likely lead to a power struggle within the group.
The plane crash also comes at a time when Russia is facing increasing international scrutiny over its activities in the Central African Republic. The United Nations has accused Russia of violating the arms embargo on the country, and the European Union is considering imposing sanctions on Russian individuals and entities involved in the Wagner Group.
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Putin’s statement on Prigozhin’s death is likely to be seen as an attempt to deflect attention from the plane crash and the Wagner Group’s activities in the Central African Republic. However, the crash is a reminder of the risks that Russia is facing as it becomes increasingly involved in military operations in Africa.
Yevgeny Prigozhin: Who Was He?
Yevgeny Prigozhin was a Russian oligarch, businessman, and leader of the Wagner Group, a private military contractor. He was a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin and has been referred to as “Putin’s chef” because of his ownership of a number of restaurants in Moscow.
Prigozhin was born in Leningrad, Soviet Union, in 1961. He started his business career in the catering industry, and by the early 2000s, he had become one of the largest food suppliers in Russia. He also owned a number of restaurants and catering companies, including the Concord Catering company, which provided catering services for the Kremlin.
In 2014, Prigozhin founded the Wagner Group, a private military contractor that has been accused of carrying out a number of operations on behalf of the Russian government, including in Syria and Ukraine. The group has been linked to a number of human rights abuses, including torture and extrajudicial killings.
Prigozhin was sanctioned by the United States and the European Union in 2016 for his alleged role in the Wagner Group. He was also indicted by the United States in 2018 for his alleged role in interfering in the 2016 US presidential election.
Prigozhin was reportedly killed in a plane crash in the Central African Republic on August 23, 2023. However, the circumstances of his death are still unclear.
Prigozhin was a controversial figure, but he was also a powerful one. His death is a significant loss for the Wagner Group and for the Russian government.
