A private plane believed to be transporting Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin has crashed in Russia.
The developing story was posted by a verified Twitter account, Anonymous. However, this is coming two months after his rebellion against the Russian President, Vladimir Putin.
Prigozhin, 62, had led a coup against Putin’s regime exactly two months ago.
After its failure, he had been warned that his life was in danger.
The plane was seen in a video falling out of the sky in the Bologovsky district in the Tver region. The burning wreckage was later seen in a field.
It was initially unknown if Wagner chief Prigozhin – known as Putin’s chef and with longstanding links to the Kremlin dictator – was on board, but it has since been reported that he was and has been killed.
A report from Rosaviatsiya – the Russian aviation agency – said Prigozhin was among the passengers.
Russian authorities have said a business jet crash in Russia killed 10 people, and mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin was on the passenger list.
It should be recalled that Yevgeny Prigozin few days ago appeared in his most video saying they’re in Africa to make Russia even greater.
He said:
“We are working. Temperature +50°. Everything we love. The Wagner Group conducts reconnaissance and search activities. Makes Russia even greater on all continents! And Africa even more free.
“Justice and happiness for the African peoples. Nightmare of “ISIS”, “Al-Qaeda” and other terrorists. We hire real heroes and continue to fulfill the tasks that were set and to which we made a promise that we could handle it, ”Prigozhin concluded.
Dailymail.co.uk quoted a former Russian presidential candidate Ksenia Sobchak to have said: ‘My sources report that an Embraer plane belonging to Yevgeny Prigozhin has now crashed in the Tver region.
“This happened 15 kilometres from Khotilovo.
‘According to our information, there were three crew members and seven passengers.
‘Whether Prigozhin himself was on board is unknown.’
Sobchak is known as Putin’s ‘goddaughter’.
A local woman said parts of the plane fell off as it plunged from the sky.
A later report citing the Russian Emergencies Ministry said ten had been killed.
A loud bang was reported by people on the ground.
Watch the video!
The bodies of eight dead were found at the crash site of an Embraer plane in the Tver region, RIA Novosti was told in emergency services. pic.twitter.com/cMV26687Id
— S p r i n t e r F a c t o r y (@Sprinterfactory) August 23, 2023