Prigozhin seen laughing about death in video released by Wagner-linked channel: ‘We’ll all go to hell’
A video showing Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin’s thoughts on death has been shared on a Telegram channel linked to the mercenary group, just hours after its chief and co-founder were feared to have died in a plane crash. Prigozhin, a former prison convict and one of Vladimir Putin’s closest associates until he launched a failed military coup in June, is believed to have died in the plane crash between Moscow and St Petersburg. The Grey Zone Telegram channel, which provides both official and unofficial updates on Wagner activities, hailed Prigozhin as a hero and a patriot who died at the hands of unidentified “traitors to Russia” earlier on Wednesday. And it later shared an undated video showing the Wagner chief’s remarks on death. “‘We will all go to hell, but we will be the best in hell,’ sums up Yevgeny Prigozhin,” the channel said in a post citing excerpts from an old interview. Prigozhin can be seen laughing in the video while seated inside a low-lit makeshift tent and talking to some people. The time and location of the video is not known. The Telegram channel Gray Zone also published remarks on death by the Wagner chief’s close associate and co-founder Dmitry Utkin, who is heard but not seen in the video. Utkin, the co-founder of the Wagner group, is also said to be among the victims of the plane crash. “Death is not the end, it’s just the beginning of something else,” the channel quoted Utkin as saying. Almost two months after the military coup staged by Prigozhin near Moscow, Russian authorities on Wednesday evening claimed he and Utkin were among 10 people onboard a plane which crashed in the Tver oblast north of Moscow with no survivors. Prigozhin’s death leaves the Wagner Group leaderless and raise questions about its future operations in Africa and elsewhere. No official comment has been released from the Kremlin or the Russian defence ministry on the whereabouts of Prigozhin, who was a self-declared enemy of the army’s leadership over what he had argued was its incompetent execution of Russia’s war in Ukraine. Prigozhin’s mercenary fighters waged a brutal battle – dubbed the “meat grinder” – in Bakhmut last year in winter, where they eventually handed Moscow its biggest territorial gain in many months. But a few months later, Prigozhin accused Mr Putin’s defence ministry of starving him of ammunition and supplies. He spent months criticising the way Russia was handling its Ukraine invasion, and had tried unsuccessfully to topple defence minister Sergei Shoigu and Valery Gerasimov, the chief of the General Staff. The 62-year-old, who said he should be called “Putin’s butcher”, spearheaded the mutiny against Russia’s top army brass which Mr Putin said could have tipped Russia into civil war. Wagner fighters shot down Russian attack helicopters during the revolt, killing an unconfirmed number of pilots and infuriating the military. The mutiny ended in just 24 hours as Prigozhin ordered his soldiers to return to their bases, but the incident was described as “treason” in a public address by Mr Putin. He later said that he had pardoned Prigozhin following talks over tea in Moscow. Read More Ukraine war - live: Wagner chief Prigozhin and co-founder ‘killed’ in Russia plane crash as Putin at concert Who is Yevgeny Prigozhin? Wagner Group mercenary chief feared dead in plane crash What was Vladimir Putin doing as Wagner chief rival ‘killed’ in plane crash? Prigozhin has made plenty of enemies – including Putin. This is the result Independent verified footage shows plane wreck believed to be carrying Yevgeny Prigozhin
2023-08-24 13:46
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Ukraine war - live: Wagner chief Prigozhin and co-founder ‘killed’ in Russia plane crash as Putin at concert
Wagner mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin is thought to be among 10 people killed in a plane crash in Russia. Footage shows the flaming wreckage after a private jet came down near Moscow last evening. The plane carrying three pilots and seven passengers was en route from Moscow to St. Petersburg, according to officials cited by Russia's state news agency Tass. Prigozhin was on the passenger list for the plane, but it wasn't immediately clear if he was on board. As the news about the crash was breaking, Russian president Vladimir Putin spoke at an event commemorating the Battle of Kursk, hailing the heroes of Russia’s “the special military operation” in Ukraine. The Wagner chief’s fate has been the subject of intense speculation ever since he mounted a short-lived mutiny against Russia's military leadership in late June. The Kremlin said the founder of the Wagner private military company, which fought alongside Russia's regular army in Ukraine, would be exiled to Belarus. But the mercenary chief has since reportedly popped up in Russia, leading to further questions about his future. Read More Wagner mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin ‘killed’ in plane crash with no survivors What was Vladimir Putin doing as Wagner chief rival ‘killed’ in plane crash? Wigs, gold bars and pictures of severed heads: Inside Wagner boss’s lavish Russian mansion
2023-08-24 12:55
Wagner chief Prigozhin presumed dead in plane crash: Russian officials
The head of the Wagner mercenary group, which in June attempted to topple Russia's military leadership, was on board a plane that crashed on Wednesday, with...
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