Russia's mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin dies in mysterious plane crash

Shafaq News/ Yevgeny Prigozhin, the prominent figure behind the Wagner Group, Russia's influential private military organization, met a tragic fate on Wednesday evening as the plane he was aboard crashed north of Moscow, according to Russian authorities. The incident occurred precisely two months after Prigozhin orchestrated an unsuccessful mutiny against the highest ranks of the Russian army.

Confirming his presence on the ill-fated flight, Russian authorities disclosed that Yevgeny Prigozhin was among the ten individuals aboard the crashed aircraft, which went down outside Moscow. The crash claimed all lives on board, with all ten bodies having been recovered, as reported by Russia's state-run news agency Interfax. However, a Telegram channel associated with the Wagner Group, known as "Grey Zone," proclaimed Prigozhin's demise. It eulogized him as a hero and patriot while blaming unidentified entities it labeled "traitors to Russia" for his death.

TASS news agency added that the plane caught fire upon impact with the ground. The aircraft had been airborne for less than half an hour before the tragic incident occurred.

Prigozhin's death leaves the Wagner Group leaderless and casts doubt on the organization's future endeavors, particularly its activities across Africa and other regions. The Wagner Group had previously incurred the ire of President Vladimir Putin after its involvement in a failed armed mutiny against the Russian army's top echelons earlier in June.

The ill-fated aircraft, a Brazilian Embraer Legacy 600 executive jet (EMBR3.SA), boasts a track record of over 20 years with only one recorded accident. According to the International Aviation HQ website, this singular accident was not due to mechanical failure.

Flight-tracking data revealed that the plane exhibited no signs of trouble until its rapid descent in the last 30 seconds of flight.

Rosaviatsia, Russia's aviation agency, released the names of all ten passengers aboard the downed aircraft, including Prigozhin and Dmitry Utkin, his trusted associate who played a role in founding the mercenary group and bore the moniker "Wagner." Russian investigators have initiated a criminal investigation into the incident.

As reported by Russia's emergencies ministry, the aircraft had been en route from Moscow to St. Petersburg when it crashed near the village of Kuzhenkino in the Tver Region.

Prigozhin, 62, was at the forefront of the mutiny unfolding on June 23-24, a move President Putin warned could have plunged Russia into civil conflict. During the uprising, Wagner fighters downed Russian attack helicopters, resulting in the deaths of an undisclosed number of pilots and sparking outrage within the military establishment. Prigozhin's influence extended to criticizing Russia's actions in Ukraine, a stance that conflicted with Moscow's portrayal of the conflict as a "special military operation." He even reportedly attempted to undermine the positions of Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov.

The mutiny ultimately concluded with an apparent agreement facilitated by the Kremlin, leading Prigozhin to relocate to neighboring Belarus. However, he continued to move freely within Russia despite the reported guarantee of his safety under the agreement.