Yevgeny Prigozhin death updates — Wagner chief’s body ‘identified by missing finger in morgue’ as Putin breaks silence
WAGNER leader Yevgeny Priogozhin's body has reportedly been identified after his private jet was downed by an explosion after leaving Moscow.
The jet was filmed spiralling towards the ground from 28,000ft, with smoke pouring from the fuselage shortly before erupting into a fireball.
Both Wagner and Moscow sources have claimed Prigozhin is dead - but in the cloak and dagger of Russia, there has been no official confirmation.
According to reports, Yevgeny Prigozhin was identified by a missing part of his finger, an injury sustained while he served time in a penal colony, according to the VChK-OGPU Telegram channel.
has since sent his condolences to Prigozhin's family, dubbing the Wagner leader a "talented businessman" - but "made serious mistakes in life".
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Yevgeny Prigozhin was a man of immense cruelty – he certainly won’t be mourned in the West
Yevgeny Prigozhin has been a dead man walking since his failed coup.
He was recently pictured in what appeared to be the Sahel region of Africa where his mercenary group Wagner operates.
Prigozhin was on ‘borrowed time’
Experts have told The U.S. Sun that Prigozhin was on “borrowed time” ever since the failed coup and that whether or not he is confirmed to have died in Wednesday’s plane crash, it spells the end of the Wagner Group as an independent fighting force.
Speaking to The U.S. Sun, Dmitri Alperovitch, chairman of the Silverado Policy Accelerator, a U.S. bipartisan non-profit policy institute, explained the Wagner Group was effectively “done” as a fighting force.
“If it is indeed true, as reports suggest that it was not just Prigozhin who was on that flight, but the entire Wagner command leadership, that means that Wagner as an organization, as a fighting force is done. It is gone,” Dmitri said.
“And that has broad implications. None of them are particularly good for Russia because they can no longer use them in Africa where they’ve been very successful at spreading Russian influence and locking up natural resources, supporting dictators, and orchestrating coups.
“It also means that any future desires that Russia may have had about using the Wagner troops in the offensive in Ukraine are also now out of the question.”
Downing Street 'very closely' monitoring Prigozhin plane crash
Rishi Sunak has said the government is monitoring the plane crash that allegedly killed Yevgeny Prigozhin "very closely".
The prime minster confirmed British intelligence indicates the Wagner boss was "most likely" on the downed aircraft.
Mr Sunak added that the UK is "working with allies to establish what happened."
UK defence minister: 'Putin's days are very much numbered'
The chair of the UK defence select committee has said he suspects Vladimir Putin's days "are very much numbered" following the plane crash that reportedly killed Yevgeny Prigozhin.
Tobias Ellwoodtold told Sky News he disagreed with some analysts assessment that Putin's "primary threat is now out of the picture" and the Russian president could come out of the situation in a stronger position.
He said the Wagner croup was one of the few competent Russian military forces and a "very formidable unit" in Ukraine, but "that's now gone", adding Putin is "deeply humiliated on a number of fronts".
Mr Ellwood continued: "When a Russian leader loses popularity among elites, then Russian history demonstrates that weakness is quickly and ruthlessly exploited.
"And I suspect that he'll be replaced, perhaps not in the short term, but certainly the ball is now in motion.
"I suspect Putin's days are very much numbered."
In pictures: Plane crash that allegedly killed Wagner boss
In the first picture, taken from a video clip of Yevgeny Prigozhin's private jet, the aircraft can be seen falling from the sky.
In the second image, again taken from video footage, the horror of the aftermath can be seen as the wreckage burns.
Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin’s jet was ‘taken down by BOMB hidden in wine crate’, sources say – as theories run rife
WAGNER boss Yevgeny Prigozhin's jet may have been taken down by a bomb hidden in a wine crate, Russian sources claim.
Bizarre theories are running rife around the fiery crash which is understood to have killed Putin's enemy.
Russian Volunteer Corps calls on Wagner mercenaries to switch sides 'to take revenge'
The Russian Volunteer Corps, a group Russian of militants who fight on the same side as Ukraine, has called on Wagner Group Mercenaries to switch sides following the plane crash that reportedly killed Yevgeny Prigozhin.
In a video published yesterday the commander of the Russian Volunteer Corps, Denis Kapustin, said: “You are facing a serious choice now - you can stand in a stall of Russia's defence ministry and serve as watchdogs for executors of your commanders or take revenge.
"To take revenge you need to switch to Ukraine's side.”
Prigozhin ‘had many enemies’
An ex-Kremlin advisor has said Yevgeny Prigozhin “had many enemies,” and that “many people in various parts of the world might have had a sigh of relief” following the Wagner boss’ presumed death in a plane crash in Russia.
Earlier today, when asked if he believed Prigozhin may have been assassinated under orders from the Kremlin, Andrey Kortunov told BBC Radio 4’s World at One: “Putin made a very clear promise not to go after Prigozhin and definitely defenders of Mr Putin would say he usually stands by the personal promises that he makes.”
Putin faces Prigozhin’s revenge from ‘beyond the grave’
Yevgeny Prigozhin prepared a "Plan B" to topple Vladimir Putin in case he was killed, sources claim.
Speculation is rife Prigozhin was killed on Putin's orders after denting the tyrant's authority with a short-lived coup just two months ago.
But despite claims Putin has silenced his enemy for good, sources say the dictator could face Prigozhin's revenge from beyond the grave.
Russian human rights activist Vladimir Osechkin said insiders claim Prigozhin had a plan up his sleeve for if he died to leak Putin's most confidential secrets.
Igor Sushko, from research group Winds of Chagne, tweeted: "Osechkin is 99.999% certain that Prigozhin was indeed assassinated by Putin.
"Osechkin's source: Prigozhin's security services collected all of their electronics & documents from their offices and disappeared.
"Prigozhin had a plan 'B' for this situation and massive kompromat leaks against Putin personally are expected to follow, if he is indeed dead."
No 'definitive proof' that Prigozhin is dead but 'highly likely' - UK's MoD
The UK's Ministry of Defence has claimed there is no "definitive proof" that Yevgeny Prigozhin has been killed.
The MoD have said in their latest update "Exactly two months after the Wagner Group's mutiny, a Wagner-associated Embraer business jet crashed near Tver, between Moscow and St Petersburg.
"The Russian authorities claim 10 people onboard died, including Wagner owner Yevgeny Prigozhin.
"There is not yet definitive proof that Prigozhin was onboard and he is known to exercise exceptional security measures. However, it is highly likely that he is indeed dead."
Putin signed his own death warrant, Brit colonel claims
Putin has "signed his own death warrant" if he is behind the presumed death of the Wagner Group boss, an ex-Brit colonel has warned.
The rebel warlord, Yevgeny Prigozhin, is believed to be dead after his private plane was blasted 28,000ft out the sky exactly two months after he was branded a "traitor" for staging a failed coup.
Russian investigators to interrogate pilot over potential ‘bomb’ on Prigozhin’s private jet
Amid accusations that Yevgeny Prigozhin's private jet was blown up from the inside, Russian investigators are planning to interrogate pilot Artyom Stepanov.
Telegram Channel Baza, which has links to Russian security services, reports Stepanov had access to the plane before takeoff and is being sought by investigators, who believe a bomb might have exploded in the aircraft’s bathroom.
Commentators believe the release of Stepanov’s name and the bomb theory could be an attempt by the Kremlin to distance itself from accusations of carrying out Prigozhin’s assassination.
Yesterday US President Joe Biden said: “There’s not much that happens in Russia that Putin’s not behind.”
Who is in line to become the Wagner leader?
Rumoured to be next in line is Wagner commander Anton Yelizarov, 42, who has hailed the mercenary group as "knights" and appears to back the group against Vladimir Putin.
Expert Samantha de Bendern told The Sun Yelizarov's name has been floating around in various Telegram groups in the chaos after yesterday's plane crash as a potential new leader for the group.
She explained: "There's a new guy, Yelizarov who's the only surviving leader of Wagner."
Known by his call name "Lotus", Yelizarov is believed to have been involved in the group's movements in Belarus and commanded Wagner during the bloodiest battle of the war in Ukraine.
Yelizarov led the meat-grinder offensive in Soledar, which killed scores of Ukrainian and Russian soldiers during the five month battle - and was later anointed as the "conqueror of Soledar" by Prigozhin.
US officials claim crash was intentionally caused
US officials believe the plane crash was intentionally caused by an explosion, according to AP sources.
A preliminary US intelligence assessment found the plane was downed deliberately, US and Western officials said.
One of the officials, who could not be named, said the explosion was in line with Vladimir Putin's "long history of trying to silence his critics".
The officials did not offer any further details on what caused the explosion.
Putin breaks silence
"What concerns this air crash, first of all, I want to express sincere condolences to the families of all those who died. It is always a tragedy," Putin said in a televised address.
"Indeed, if they were there and, according to the initial information, Wagner Company employees were on board, I want to note that those people made a significant contribution to our common cause of fighting the Nazi regime in Ukraine.
"We remember this, we know this and we will not forget this."
Putin added he has known Prigozhin for a long time, "since the beginning of the 1990s".
Seemingly referencing the Wagner boss' failed mutiny, Putin said: "He was a person with a complicated background.
"He made serious mistakes in his life and he achieved the necessary results, both for himself and, when I asked him, for the common cause, as during the past few months.
"He was a talented person, a talented businessman.
"He worked not only in our country, and with good results too, but abroad too, in Africa in particular.
"He dealt with oil, gas, precious metals and stones there.
"As I learned, he returned from Africa only yesterday. He met some officials here.
"However, what happened exactly, the head of the Investigative Committee reported to me this morning.
"They have already begun a preliminary investigation of this incident, and it will be conducted fully and completed.
"There is no doubt about this. We will hear soon what the investigators say."
Witnesses observed 'explosion'
In one clip snapped by a witness of the plane plummeting to the ground, they could be heard commentating on the horror unfolding before their eyes.
One person could be heard saying: “A plane fell out of the sky. The pilot ejected, something is swirling in the air, do you see some part of it?
“It was flying fine, and exploded. Something is swirling in the air. The explosion was so strong…. and then it plunged and look, it’s burning…..”
Wagner's chilling threat
The Wagner mercenary group made a chilling revenge threat hours after Putin's enemy Yevgeny Prigozhin was reportedly killed in a fireball private jet crash.
Prigozhin's death comes exactly two months after the rebel warlord's failed coup - and it has already sparked fears of another.
In a chilling threat, shady members of the group announced: "Many discussions of what Wagner will do in this situation.
"We'll say one thing - we're starting off. Expect us."
Wagner took serious precautions
Yevgeny Prigozhin, 62, was holed up in a windowless hotel to escape being pushed to his death like other past enemies of vengeful Putin, a US intelligence expert said.
The Wagner Group chief is in Minsk, capital of Russian puppet state Belarus, where he was allowed to relocate after calling off his army’s march on Moscow.
His fighters, who killed 15 Russian airmen during the aborted coup, were given the choice of following him, enlisting in the regular Russian army or going home.
He has been branded a “traitor” by , a number of whose former enemies have fallen from windows in apparent Kremlin hits dressed up as accidents.
List of reported passengers released
The Federal Air Transport Agency has released a list of passengers who were reportedly onboard the jet.
- Yevgeny Prigozhin
- Dmitry Utkin
- Sergey Propustin
- Yevgeny Makaryan
- Alexander Totmin
- Valeriy Chekalov
- Nikolay Matuseev
List of reported crew members released
The Federal Air Transport Agency also shared a list of the crew members who were reportedly onboard the plane:
- Aleksei Levshin, commander
- Rustam Karimov, co-pilot
- Kristina Raspopova, flight attendant
Wagner Group estimated to have 50,000 members
It is believed that the Wagner Group had an estimated 50,000 personnel inside Ukraine as of December 2022.
This number was made up of around 10,000 contractors and 40,000 convicts from Russian prisons, US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said via .
In the wake of the group’s rebellion against Putin, videos posted on social media showed banners urging people to join the Wagner Group being torn down in Russian cities.
‘Prigozhin signed a special death warrant for himself’
Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s advisor, Mykhailo Podolyak, on X, formerly known as Twitter: “It is worth waiting for the fog of war to disappear…
“Meanwhile, it is obvious that Putin does not forgive anyone for his own bestial terror.
“Exactly the one that nullified him in June 2023. And he was waiting for the moment.
“It is also obvious that Prigozhin signed a special death warrant for himself the moment he believed in Lukashenko’s bizarre 'guarantees' and Putin’s equally absurd 'word of honor'.
“The demonstrative elimination of Prigozhin and the Wagner command two months after the coup attempt is a signal from Putin to Russia’s elites ahead of the 2024 elections.”
Prigozhin’s flight attendant moaned about ‘mystery repairs’
Prigozhin's flight attendant complained about waiting for unexplained repairs to the Wagner warlord's doomed jet before it crashed.
Ten people were killed as the plane ended up in a fiery wreckage just 31 miles from Vladimir Putin's lavish palace in northern Russia.
A chilling final photo of Prigozhin's flight attendant Kristina Raspopova shows her waiting at an airport cafe to board the jet.
The 39-year-old told her family of an unexplained hold-up and suggested the aircraft was being "repaired" before the flight, according to VChK-OGPU Telegram channel.
One of Kristina's relatives said: "She said that she was in Moscow, she was going to fly out, today or tomorrow.
"The aircraft was under maintenance or some urgent repairs.
"They were waiting for the flight. Some kind of maintenance, well nothing special.
“They flew in and were about to take off. There was nothing wrong.
“It seemed like she had been there for a while. That is at least a couple of days."
Putin remains silent as Prigozhin killed in plane crash
Vladimir Putin has made no mention of Yevgeny Prigozhin despite giving an address at the BRICS summit this morning.
Putin and the Kremlin have stayed silent on the claims that Prigozhin was reportedly killed in a crash
Only official sources coming from the aviation authority and investigations committee have spoken on Prigozhin's presumed death.
'It's Putin's doing'
An ex-chief of the British army has claimed that Vladimir Putin is "most likely" behind Prigozhin's death.
Former chief of the general staff, General Lord Dannatt, told Sky News: "I think it's probably most likely that even if it wasn't ordered by Putin directly, it was by someone who knows what Putin would have wished and has ensured the elimination of aggression has happened."
"I think while the balance of probabilities, it's Putin's doing," he added.