Private jet crashes near Moscow, killing all aboard; Wagner's Prigozhin among passengers

Russian media reported that a plane belonging to the leader of the Wagner Group PMC, Yevgeny Prigozhin, crashed in Russia’s Tver Oblast. Rosaviatsiya reported that "Putin’s chef" himself was allegedly among the passengers.

Initially, the Russian media reported that an Embraer Legacy business jet had crashed in the Bologovsky district of Tver Oblast.

Later, it was reported that the plane's tail number was RA-02795, which is the same as the business jet owned by Prigozhin.

A video of the plane crash, filmed by eyewitnesses, was posted online. Judging by the comments of the video's authors, they assume that the plane was shot down by an air defense system because they heard an explosion and the plane fell to pieces.

According to the Russian Emergencies Ministry, the Embraer Legacy was flying from Moscow to St. Petersburg, with 10 people on board, all of whom died.

It is reported that the bodies of the victims found at the crash site were severely mutilated. DNA testing is needed to identify them.

On August 21, Prigozhin recorded a video in which he claimed to be in Africa.

Russian media write that the reports of the deaths of Prigozhin and another Wagner Group leader Dmitry Utkin cannot be verified at this time.

Pro-Kremlin propagandists note that Prigozhin could have been on another plane, because earlier, "for the purpose of conspiracy," he regularly confused everyone – allegedly checking in for one flight and boarding another plane.

Russian media reported that the second private plane, an Embraer ERJ-135BJ Legacy 650, also owned by Prigozhin, with the number RA-02748, is circling the skies over Moscow after the first plane was destroyed by air defense.

Russia's Investigative Committee has opened a criminal case over the downing of Prigozhin's plane under the article "violation of traffic safety and air transport operation rules."

More and more Russian media outlets are quoting sources as saying that Prigozhin, Utkin and other commanders of Wagner's group were allegedly on board the crashed plane. It is also reported that no one can reach Prigozhin.

The plane crash is reported to have occurred near the Khotilovo military airfield, which is used by Putin's cronies to travel to the Valdai residence.

Russia media note that Prigozhin has "died" before. In the fall of 2019, he "crashed" on a military transport plane in the Congo – later it turned out that Russian citizens died in the accident, but the Wagner financier was not among them.

According to Russian media sources, Prigozhin was returning from Mali to Russia on Il planes with refueling in Damascus, and only in Moscow did he change to his own plane.

It is reported that Utkin, a cameraman, bodyguards and a person with the call sign "Rover" who organized Prigozhin's trips flew with Prigozhin.

Russian media note that the investigators are increasingly actively "stirring up the subject" of the bomb on board Prigozhin's plane. Allegedly, evidence appeared that a gift in the form of a box of expensive wine was loaded on board at the last moment. Now they are working on the version that there could have been a bomb in this box. The plane (before loading the box) was carefully inspected, including with dogs.

On the evening of June 23, 2023, Prigozhin announced a "march" on Moscow. The next day, he reached an agreement with the Russian authorities and withdrew his troops. Putin's spokesman said that Prigozhin had gone to Belarus.

On June 30, the head of Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence, Kyrylo Budanov, said that the FSB had received an order to kill Prigozhin, but that it was a large-scale operation and would take time.

In July, Wagner units began arriving in Belarus. Ukraine’s intel reported that the task of some of them would be to "unnerve" neighboring Poland.