Russia’s Civil Aviation Authority announced Wednesday that Wagner Group mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin was among 10 people were killed in the crash of a private plane in the Tver region, north of Moscow.
Also aboard the aircraft was Wagner Group founder and Prigozhin second-in-command Dmitry Utkin, according to Russian Channel VChK-OGPU.
Prigozhin’s presence on the flight was confirmed by TASS, but there has not as yet been any official confirmation that he was among the dead.
Another video of the crash of Prigozhin's plane #Russia pic.twitter.com/Yx06O8cjql
— Michael A. Horowitz (@michaelh992) August 23, 2023
The plane was allegedly downed by a Russian surface-to-air missile, Channel 12 News reported.
The country’s Federal Air Transport Agency launched an investigation into the crash of the Embraer aircraft, which occurred in the Tver region on Wednesday, among the passengers was Yevgeny Prigozhin, the Federal Air Transport Agency said in a statement.
A closer video of the crash site of Prigozhin's jet in #Russia's Tver Province pic.twitter.com/XYQm8fjZDu
— Michael A. Horowitz (@michaelh992) August 23, 2023
“An investigation has been launched into the crash of the Embraer aircraft, which occurred tonight in the Tver region. According to the list of passengers, among them is the name and surname of Yevgeny Prigozhin,” TASS News Agency reported.
Seven passengers and three crew members were on board the plane, which was en route from Moscow to St. Petersburg, Channel 14 reported, quoting TASS. All were killed, according to the report.
The Wagner Group leader attempted a coup against the regime of Russia’s President Valdimir Putin, but failed to topple the government.
