The Kremlin categorically denied any involvement in the presumed death of Yevgeny V. Prigozhin, the leader of the Wagner paramilitary force. The Russian government dismissed claims that it destroyed a business jet carrying Prigozhin as Western propaganda intended to tarnish President Vladimir Putin’s reputation. Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov called the allegations “an absolute lie.” While Russia’s foreign minister, state-controlled media, and President Putin’s close ally, Aleksandr Lukashenko, echoed the denials, their words may hold little credibility due to the Kremlin’s history of denying or accusing others of actions it later admits to or is proven to have carried out.
Many European leaders, Western news outlets, and individuals associated with the Wagner force have speculated that Putin ordered Prigozhin’s assassination in retaliation for his rebellion against Russia’s military leadership. US officials have been more cautious about assigning blame, but President Joe Biden commented, “There’s not much that happens in Russia that Putin’s not behind. But I don’t know enough to know the answer.”
Peskov dismissed Western speculation about the cause of the plane crash that occurred northwest of Moscow on Wednesday. However, concerns arose after Prigozhin’s survival following the Wagner rebellion, leading to surprise among Russians and international observers. While the Russian government has not officially confirmed the identities of those killed in the crash, they admitted that Prigozhin and Wagner’s top field commander, Dmitri Utkin, were listed on the jet’s manifest, ten bodies were recovered, and there were no survivors. Putin referred to Prigozhin in the past tense, saying, “This was a person with a complicated fate.”
US and other Western officials have expressed growing confidence in Prigozhin’s death and pointed to evidence suggesting an explosion on the plane caused its downfall. Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov, similar to Peskov, advised waiting for the official inquiry’s results. Lavrov urged focusing on facts rather than Western media reports. Lukashenko, heavily reliant on support from Putin, remarked, “Knowing Putin, how scrupulous, cautious, accurate he is, I do not believe that he would do this.” However, Lukashenko previously disclosed that Putin had raised the possibility of assassinating Prigozhin.
Russian state television’s coverage of the plane crash and Prigozhin’s death primarily focused on Western media reports rather than the crash’s cause. Prominent talk show hosts Vladimir Solovyov and Olga Skabeyeva hinted at Western involvement in Prigozhin’s demise without presenting evidence. Solovyov showed British tabloids accusing Putin, while Skabeyeva showcased various international newspapers displaying similar headlines associating Putin with Prigozhin’s death. The hosts asserted that the Western media pushed a pro-Western agenda and accused them of strict adherence to a training manual.
Sergei Markov, a former Kremlin adviser, remarked that Western media outlets cannot rationally explain why Putin would eliminate Prigozhin, as he posed no political threat. Markov suggested that the West attributes this to Putin’s irrational hatred of enemies. However, many Western analysts argue that Putin appeared weak for not severely punishing Prigozhin within an autocratic system where fear and force prevail. Putin himself had previously stated that betrayal was unforgivable.
The Kremlin has continuously denied involvement in assassinations and attempted assassinations of Putin’s enemies, despite Western governments concluding that Russian intelligence agencies were responsible. Russian media has vehemently denied these accusations but simultaneously floated baseless theories about alternative perpetrators. The Kremlin initially denied the presence of Russian forces in Crimea in 2014 before eventually admitting it. They denied any connection to pro-Moscow forces seizing parts of the Donbas region, although evidence later proved Russian involvement. The government initially denied the existence of the Wagner group and Prigozhin’s ties to it before reversing their statements. They also denied Russian disinformation campaigns to influence US elections before Prigozhin admitted to it. Additionally, in the lead-up to the war with Ukraine, Putin and others denied any plans for conflict, only to invade later.
Wagner, known for its brutality and effectiveness, supported authoritarian governments aligned with the Kremlin in Syria, the Central African Republic, and Mali. The group also played a significant role in Russia’s successful capture of the city of Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine. Prigozhin publicly criticized the Ministry of Defense and military establishment, accusing them of corruption and betrayal, which escalated after the government absorbed the Wagner force and removed its independence. Despite his rebellion in June, Prigozhin was repeatedly sighted in St. Petersburg, Moscow, and Africa, causing confusion about his actual whereabouts.
In conclusion, the Kremlin vehemently denies any responsibility for Prigozhin’s presumed death and dismisses Western claims as propaganda. However, their denials may lack credibility due to the Kremlin’s history of denying or accusing others of actions it later admits to or is proven to have carried out. Western officials are growing increasingly confident in Prigozhin’s death, but the official inquiry results are awaited. Russian state media highlights Western media reports and accuses them of pushing a pro-Western agenda. The Kremlin has a track record of denying involvement in assassinations and disinformation campaigns, only to later admit or be proven guilty.
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