🚨#BREAKING: Wagner chief Prigozhin has died along with 10 other passengers on the jet that just crashed in Russia's Tver region pic.twitter.com/4kPLrsGANb
— R A W S A L E R T S (@rawsalerts) August 23, 2023
Yevgeny Prigozhin, the Russian oligarch and mercenary leader who some allege attempted to overthrow Putin, has died in a fiery plane crash, according to Russian reports. Reports state that a private jet belonging to Prigozhin crashed with 10 people on board, resulting in everyone’s death. According to the plane’s manifest, the oligarch, who was once a close friend of Vladimir Putin, was among those on board.
Yevgeny Prigozhin has been killed in a private jet crash in the Tver region north of Moscow, Russian agencies have reported.
The Wagner mercenary boss was on board the aircraft when it crashed killing all 10 passengers, authorities have said.
According to Russia’s federal air transport agency: “An investigation of the Embraer plane crash that happened in the Tver Region this evening was initiated.
“According to the passenger list, first and last name of Yevgeny Prigozhin was included in this list.”
The flight appears to have been travelling between Moscow and St Petersburg. Wagner-linked Telegram channels have reported that the plane was shot down by Russian air defences.
Mr Prigozhin led an abortive coup against Russia’s military leadership in June, which ended after Wagner fighters were promised amnesty in neighbouring Belarus.