Authorities Report Jet Crash in Russia Leaving 10 Dead, Including Possible Presence of Wagner Chief Prigozhin

On Wednesday, a private jet met a tragic fate in Russia, resulting in the deaths of 10 individuals onboard, according to statements from emergency officials. Yevgeny Prigozhin, the chief of the mercenary outfit Wagner, was listed as a passenger, though immediate confirmation of his presence on the flight was lacking.

Prigozhin’s future has been the focus of persistent conjecture following his brief and unsuccessful mutiny against Russian military officials in late June. The Russian government stated that Prigozhin, the founder of the Wagner private military company known for fighting beside Russia’s standard army in Ukraine, would be sent into exile in Belarus.

The mercenary leader, however, has reportedly been spotted in Russia since, leading to additional inquiries regarding his whereabouts and intentions.

Officials cited by Tass, Russia’s state news agency, reported that a plane carrying three pilots and seven passengers crashed over 100 kilometers (approximately 60 miles) north of Moscow, while on a journey from Moscow to St. Petersburg. Rosaviatsia, Russia’s civilian aviation authority, confirmed Prigozhin’s name on the manifest, but his presence among those onboard remained unverified.

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Russia’s state news agency RIA Novosti, referencing emergency officials, reported the discovery of eight bodies at the crash location.

The Big Big News conducted a review of flight tracking information, revealing that a private jet linked to Wagner and previously utilized by Prigozhin departed from Moscow on Wednesday evening. Its transponder signal ceased to transmit only minutes after takeoff.

The signal terminated over a rural area without immediate access to airfields where an emergency landing could be executed.

Photographs shared by a Wagner-supporting social media account displayed burning debris, including a section of the tail number corresponding to a private jet owned by the company. The color and positioning of the numbers on the engine of the crashed plane matched previous images of the Wagner jet, as examined by The AP.

Earlier this week, Prigozhin released his inaugural recruitment video post-mutiny, where he stated that Wagner was involved in reconnaissance, search efforts, and contributing to Russia’s global prominence, as well as fostering freedom in Africa.

In related news this week, anonymous sources cited by Russian media claimed that Gen. Sergei Surovikin, a top Russian general connected to Prigozhin, was relieved of his duties as the commander of Russia’s air force. Surovikin, who once spearheaded Russia’s campaign in Ukraine, has not made public appearances since the rebellion, when he issued a video plea for Prigozhin’s forces to withdraw.

While news of the crash was unfolding, Russian President Vladimir Putin attended a ceremony honoring the Battle of Kursk, praising the heroes of Russia’s “the special military operation” in Ukraine.

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• Tass
• Russia’s state news agency RIA Novosti
• Rosaviatsia – Russia’s Civil Aviation Authority
• The Big Big News
• The AP – Associated Press