Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin presumed dead after Russia plane crash

Telegram channel Grey Zone initially claimed Prigozhin's plane was shot down, later suggesting his death was due to those seen as betraying Russia

Wagner leader Yevgeny Prigozhin, whose name is associated with the private military group Wagner, was listed as a passenger on a crashed jet that resulted in the death of all aboard, according to Russia’s civil aviation authority.

An affiliated Telegram channel called Grey Zone initially claimed that Prigozhin’s plane, which was allegedly owned by him, was shot down by air defenses. Grey Zone later asserted that Prigozhin’s death was a consequence of actions taken by individuals seen as betraying Russia.

Prigozhin had previously led an unsuccessful rebellion against the Russian armed forces in June.

This incident coincided with reports of the removal of senior Russian general Sergei Surovikin from his position as air force chief. Surovikin, who was known to have a close relationship with Prigozhin, had not been publicly seen since the mutiny.

The airplane, an Embraer Legacy owned by Prigozhin, was flying from Moscow to St Petersburg with ten individuals on board when it crashed near the village of Kuzhenkino in the Tver region. The crash is currently under investigation.

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