The death of Yevgeny V. Prigozhin, the leader of the Wagner mercenary group, has been officially confirmed by Russian authorities. Genetic testing conducted on the victims of a recent plane crash revealed that their identities matched those listed on the jet’s manifest. This announcement puts an end to days of speculation surrounding Prigozhin’s fate. He was presumed to have died in the crash, which occurred just two months after his failed mutiny against Russia’s military leadership. Some U.S. and Western officials believe that the crash was caused by an explosion on board and suspect that President Vladimir V. Putin may have ordered Prigozhin’s assassination in retaliation for his mutiny. However, the Kremlin has categorically denied these allegations as baseless lies.
In a statement released on Sunday, Svetlana Petrenko, a spokesperson for Russia’s investigative committee, stated that the identities of all ten victims have been established and are consistent with the names on the flight manifest. Prigozhin, along with the top commander of Wagner, Dmitri Utkin, were both listed as passengers on the ill-fated plane. Confirmation of their identities was pending the results of the investigation.
In his first remarks about the crash, President Putin indirectly acknowledged Prigozhin’s death, referring to him in the past tense. He commented that Prigozhin had made significant mistakes in his life but had also achieved necessary results.
Prigozhin was the leader of the Wagner private military group, which has been involved in military operations in Syria, Africa, and Ukraine to advance Russia’s interests. The group has gained a reputation for its effectiveness on the battlefield and extreme brutality. In Ukraine, Wagner supported Russian forces and engaged the Ukrainian military in a protracted and costly battle for the city of Bakhmut, which Russia eventually captured in May after a year-long conflict.
To expand his private army, Prigozhin recruited thousands of ex-prisoners to join Wagner’s ranks. He also became increasingly critical of the Russian military leadership’s handling of the war in Ukraine, accusing them of corruption and incompetence.
In June, Prigozhin led a short-lived mutiny against the top military leadership, presenting President Putin with a significant public challenge to his rule. Speculation abounded that the Russian president would not let such an affront go unpunished.
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