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A private jet that was boarded by the boss of the Wagner Group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, crashed north of Moscow, Russia. Photo/Sky News
MOSCOW – Ten people were reported killed in a private jet crash north of Moscow. Russia’s Civil Aviation Authority said the boss of the Wagner Group mercenary group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, was on the passenger list.
“Seven passengers and three crew members were on board the Embraer aircraft, which was en route from Moscow to St Petersburg,” reported Russian news agency TASS, quoted by Sky News, Thursday (24/8/2023).
The jet reportedly crashed in the Tver region, north of the Russian capital Moscow.
Prigozhin, who is believed to have been on board the plane, shared his first video address since his failed uprising in June two days ago.
The mercenary chief – who was sent to Belarus after the march on Moscow – released footage of him speaking while wearing a camouflage uniform and holding a rifle.
Prigozhin appears to be in Africa in the video, and he also talks about Russia making the continent “independent”.
The video, which was shared on a Telegram channel affiliated with the Wagner Group. This is the first video speech Prigozhin has shared since he marched his mercenaries toward Moscow in late June.
He quashed the mutiny and his mercenaries withdrew after Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko helped broker a “deal”, which purportedly saw the businessman move to allied Russia and have his troops absorbed into the military.
Prigozhin, once a confidant of Vladimir Putin, has frequently lambasted the likes of Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and General Valery Gerasimov in public speeches for their handling of the Ukrainian invasion.
(ian)
