Plane carrying Yegvey Prigozhin falls out of the sky near Russia
Russian media reported Wednesday evening that a private plane crashed in the Tver region of Russia north of the capital, Moscow. According to TASS state media reports, 10 people were killed in the crash: seven passengers and three crew members. The plane was on its way from Moscow to St. Petersburg, according to reports.
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Russia's Civil Aviation Authority said Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of the Wagner Group of mercenaries, "was on the passenger log" of the plane that crashed. The plane reportedly was registered to Prigozhin.
Later on Wednesday evening, the "GRAY ZONE" Telegram channel, identified with the supporters of the Wagner group, announced that Prigozhin was killed in the crash. Russian officials also confirmed the death of Prigozhin, as well as that of Dmitry Utkin, his right-hand man.
Prigozhin led a revolt in June against the head of the Russian army - in protest of the conduct of the war in Ukraine. The rebellion ended only a day later, and Prigozhin was sent into exile in Belarus with some of his mercenaries.
Just Tuesday, Prigozhin published his first video since the rebellion: the video, in which it is not clear when it was recorded, was apparently filmed in Africa and shows Prigozhin in a desert area wearing a military uniform and armed with a rifle. In the video, Prigozhin promised that his people would make the continent more "happy and free."
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Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of the Wagner Group of mercenaries, in his first video since the attempted coup
(Photo: Reuters)
In an earlier recording of Prigozhin, from Belarus, he is seen talking to his fighters and declaring that the Wagner Group is ready to increase its presence in Africa. Prigozhin called the mercenaries of his private military company to prepare for a possible trip to Africa.
"We need to prepare, improve and embark on a new journey to Africa," he said.