U.S. Department of Defense: No Evidence to Suggest Surface-to-Air Missile Took Down Plane Carrying Russian Mercenary Leader
WASHINGTON, Aug 24 (Reuters) – The U.S. Department of Defense stated on Thursday that there is currently no information to suggest that a surface-to-air missile caused the crash of the plane presumed to be carrying Russian mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin. Air Force Brigadier General Patrick Ryder, a Pentagon spokesperson, provided no evidence or further details on the cause of the crash during a news conference.
Earlier on Thursday, Reuters reported that the United States was considering several theories regarding the crash, with two U.S. officials suggesting that a surface-to-air missile likely hit the plane. However, these officials, who spoke anonymously, emphasized that the information was still preliminary and subject to review.
“We don’t have any information to indicate right now the press reporting stating that there was some type of surface-to-air missile that took down the plane,” Ryder told reporters.
Russian air authorities have confirmed that Prigozhin, along with his right-hand man Dmitry Utkin and eight others, were on the private plane that crashed with no survivors northwest of Moscow on Wednesday.
The Wall Street Journal, on the other hand, reported a different theory, citing unnamed U.S. officials who suggested that a bomb or sabotage caused the crash.
It is not uncommon for conflicting intelligence views to emerge within the U.S. government in the aftermath of major international events.
The crash occurred exactly two months after Prigozhin and his Wagner mercenaries staged a mutiny, taking control of the southern city of Rostov and advancing towards Moscow.
U.S. President Joe Biden expressed his lack of surprise at reports of Prigozhin’s death in a plane crash, stating that not much happens in Russia without the involvement of President Vladimir Putin.
In response, Putin expressed his condolences to the families of those who died and emphasized the need to await the outcome of the official investigation. Prigozhin, the 62-year-old head of the Wagner mercenary group, frequently criticized the Russian army’s leadership for its alleged incompetence in prosecuting the war in Ukraine.
The Embraer executive jet model involved in the crash had only experienced one previous accident in over 20 years of service, and that incident was unrelated to mechanical failure.
Reporting by Phil Stewart and Idrees Ali; Editing by Alistair Bell and Daniel Wallis
What other theories or possible causes of the crash is the Department of Defense considering in their ongoing investigation
No evidence at this time to support the theory that a surface-to-air missile brought down the plane. The Department of Defense continues to investigate the incident and gather information to determine the cause of the crash.
During a news conference, Pentagon spokesperson Air Force Brigadier General Patrick Ryder stated that there is currently no information or evidence suggesting that a surface-to-air missile was involved in the crash. He did not provide any further details or elaborate on the possible causes of the incident.
This statement comes after Reuters reported earlier in the day that the United States was considering various theories about the crash. However, the Department of Defense is yet to find any evidence supporting the surface-to-air missile theory.
The investigation into the incident is ongoing, and the Department of Defense is working to gather more information to determine the cause of the crash.
Interesting. I wonder what other possibilities could explain the crash then.