Russia’s Tass news agency has revealed that the Federal Agency for Air Transport of Russia has launched an inquiry into the recent plane crash in the Tver Region on August 23rd.
Among the individuals aboard the ill-fated flight, Yevgeny Prigozhin’s name has been identified.
Tragedy struck as a business jet plummeted to the ground in Russia, claiming the lives of ten individuals, including Yevgeny Prigozhin, the leader of the Wagner mercenary group, as confirmed by authorities.
A private jet traveling from Moscow to St Petersburg crashed on Wednesday (August 23rd), resulting in the fatalities of all ten occupants on board, according to statements from Russian emergency authorities.
Officials from emergency response teams informed TASS that the remains of four individuals have been located. The aircraft reportedly ignited upon impact with the ground, subsequently becoming engulfed in flames. The entire duration of the flight was less than half an hour.
Though unverified reports from various sources have suggested that the jet was linked to Prigozhin, the founder of the private military entity Wagner, concrete confirmation of this connection remains pending.
The circumstances surrounding Prigozhin’s potential presence on the flight remain uncertain.
In prior engagements, Prigozhin’s Wagner private military force had collaborated with Russia’s regular armed forces during the conflict in Ukraine. Notably, in late June, Prigozhin led a brief and unsuccessful insurrection against the leadership of Russia’s military. Following this, the Kremlin announced his impending exile to Belarus, along with a decision for his fighters to either follow him there, retire, or integrate into the Russian military ranks.
