What we know about the crashed plane that had Prigozhin listed as a passenger
Wagner mercenary group founder Yevgeny Prigozhin was listed among passengers on a private jet that crashed in Russia’s Tver region, Interfax reported, citing the nation’s aviation authority. The Embraer plane crashed in the Tver region near the village of Kuzhenkino while three pilots and seven passengers were on board. All of them have died, reported Russian state news agency Tass.
A view shows smoke rising above a plane on fire following an alleged air accident at a location given as Tver region, Russia.(Reuters)
The plane was flying from Sheremetyevo Airport to St. Petersburg. Yevgeny Prigozhin suspected to be dead although there is no confirmation yet. According to the list of passengers, he was among them, according to the Federal Air transport agency.
Russian authorities are investigating the circumstances of the jet crash, press service of the Tver regional government said in a separate statement on its website without giving any details on the identity of the casualties. Representatives of law enforcement agencies and the Ministry of Emergency Situations are working on the spot, according to news reports.
The investigation was taken under personal control by the governor of the Tver region Igor Rudenya, another report claimed.
What has Russian ministry of emergency situation said so far?
“There were 10 people on board, including 3 crew members. According to preliminary information, all those on board died,” Russia’s ministry for emergency situation said as per news agency AFP. The ministry announced that a “private Embraer Legacy aircraft travelling from Moscow to Saint Petersburg crashed near the village of Kuzhenkino in the Tver Region” adding that it was conducting search operations.
Who is Yevgeny Prigozhin?
In June, Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin’s mercernaries led a short-lived rebellion against Russia’s conventional army. Thousands of mercenaries took up weapons and marched from southern Russia towards Moscow with the aim of toppling the country’s military leaders.
The mutiny ended with a deal, reportedly mediated by Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko, under which Prigozhin was expected to move to neighbouring Belarus with some of his fighters.
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