Wagner Chief Prigozhin's demise: Russian authorities have officially confirmed the demise of Yevgeny Prigozhin, the prominent figure at the helm of the Wagner Group, following genetic analyses of the bodies recovered from the fatal plane crash that occurred on Wednesday.
The Russian Investigative Committee (SK) reported that through meticulous genetic testing, the identities of all ten casualties from the crash have been ascertained and verified against the flight's passenger roster. The tragic incident transpired as Prigozhin's private aircraft crashed to the northwest of Moscow on August 25, resulting in the tragic loss of all passengers on board.
Despite speculation, the Kremlin has vehemently denied any involvement or responsibility in the unfortunate crash. The Investigative Committee continues to actively pursue a comprehensive criminal investigation into the matter.
A statement issued by the SK elaborated on the findings: "Molecular-genetic testing has been completed, resulting in the identification of all ten deceased individuals, and their identities align with the list provided in the flight manifest."
Among the victims are several high-ranking members of the Wagner Group, a Russian mercenary organization that Prigozhin founded, which has been engaged in military endeavors in Ukraine, Syria, and parts of Africa.
Dmitry Utkin, responsible for managing Wagner's military operations, is one of the prominent figures lost in the crash.
Other individuals on the ill-fated Embraer Legacy plane, which was en route from Moscow to St. Petersburg, include Valery Chekalov, Sergei Propustin, Yevgeny Makaryan, Alexander Totmin, and Nikolay Matuseyev, all affiliated with Wagner.
Piloting the plane was Alexei Levshin, with co-pilot Rustam Karimov, accompanied by flight attendant Kristina Raspopova.
The tragedy comes after Prigozhin led a mutiny under the Wagner banner against the Russian armed forces two months ago, temporarily seizing the city of Rostov in the south and issuing threats of advancing towards Moscow.
The standoff was eventually diffused through negotiations that led to Prigozhin and Wagner fighters relocating to Belarus. Despite these events, President Vladimir Putin expressed condolences to the victims' families and acknowledged Prigozhin's talents while also acknowledging his significant life mistakes.
- With inputs from agencies
