Wagner Group Boss Prigozhin Reportedly Killed In Plane Crash: Kremlin Critic Alludes To Putin, Biden Is Not Surprised

Russian President Vladimir Putin with Yevgeny Prigozhin Wikimedia.a (Commons/Government of the Russian Federation)

JAKARTA - The leader of the Wagner Group's mercenaries reportedly died in a plane crash on Russian territory, two months after a half-hearted coup against Moscow's top military officials, Kremlin critics alluded to President Ruisa.

The Russian Federal Agency for Air Transportation launched an investigation into the crash of an Embraer plane in the Tver Region on Wednesday, saying Yevgeny Prigozhin was among the passengers.

"Investigation of the Embraer plane crash that occurred in the Tver Region tonight has been launched. According to the passenger list, Yevgeny Prigozhin's first and last names are included in this list," the agency said, launching TASS August 24.

The Embraer business jet crashed in the Tver Region near the Kushhenkino settlement. According to preliminary data, all 10 passengers and crew died on their way from Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport to St. Petersburg.

Some unnamed sources told Russian media they believed the plane was shot down by one or more surface-to-air missiles.

Flightradar24's online tracker shows that Embraer Legacy 600 (aircraft number RA-02795) carrying Prigozhin disappeared from radar at 18:11 local time.

Rosaviatsia, Russia's aviation body, published the names of 10 people on board the plane, including Dmitry Utkin, his right-hand man who helped establish a group of mercenaries and had a call sign "Wagner".

There has been no official comment from the Kremlin or the Ministry of Defense regarding the fate of Prigozhin, head of Wagner's group of mercenaries who strongly criticized the Ministry of Defense for Russia's military campaign in Ukraine.

A Telegram channel connected to Wagner, Gray Zone, says he died, praising him as a hero and patriot who is said to have died in the hands of unknown people he called "Russian traitor".

Amid growing speculation and no verifiable facts, some of its supporters blamed Russia, while others blamed Ukraine for celebrating its Independence Day on Thursday.

Abbas Gallyamov, former author of Putin's speech criticized and labeled by the Russian government as a "foreign agent" stated that Russia's leader, who is expected to run for his next term next year, is behind the crash and has strengthened his authority in this regard.

"The government is now confident that it is impossible to oppose Putin," Gallyamov wrote on Telegram.

Meanwhile, Bill Browser, an entrepreneur with years of experience in Russia and other Kremlin critics, agrees with the assessment.

"Putin never forgives and never forgets. He looks like a weak person insulted by Prigozhin running around without caring about the world (after the uprising). This will strengthen his authority," Browder wrote on Twitter.

In the United States, President Joe Biden on his visit to California said he did not know for sure what had happened.

"But I'm not surprised," said President Biden.

"Not much happened in Russia that Putin didn't follow," he said.

A building housing Wagner's office in St Petersburg illuminated his window after it was dark in such a way that it displayed a giant cross as a sign of respect and grief. Flowers were abandoned and candles were lit near the office on Thursday morning.

Prigozhin's death would leave the Wagner Group, which angered Putin in June by a failed armed uprising against top military officials, without a leader and raised questions about their future operations in Africa and elsewhere.

Separately, the crash of the Embraer Legacy 600 executive jet recorded only one crash in more than 20 years of service, and it was caused by crew error and not due to mechanical damage, according to the International Aviation HQ website.

Embraer said his party had complied with international sanctions imposed on Russia, not taking care of the aircraft since 2019.

According to flight tracking data, the aircraft showed no sign of a problem until a drastic decline in the last 30 seconds.

It is known that Prigozhin (62) spearheaded the uprising against Russian military officials on June 23-24, which President Putin said could trigger a civil war in Russia.

Wagner fighters shot down Russian attack helicopters during the uprising, killing a number of unconfirmed pilots, angering the military.

He also spent months criticizing Russia's war in Ukraine, something Moscow called a "special military operation", and strongly criticized Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and General Chief of Staff Valery Gerasimov.

The news of the accident and the death of Prigozhin came as a surprise, after previously on Monday he uploaded a video of a speech he said was made in Africa on Monday.