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Yevgeny Prigozhin, a businessman with close ties to Vladimir Putin, has reportedly died in a suspicious plane crash just outside of Moscow. Prigozhin, the owner of the Kremlin-allied Wagner Group, had recently been involved in an attempted uprising against Russia’s military leadership. The plane crash occurred on August 23, killing 10 people on board, including Prigozhin and his deputy Dmitry Utkin. While it has not been confirmed that Prigozhin was on board, his presence on the passenger list suggests his involvement.
The incident is believed to be retribution for Prigozhin’s open rebellion against Russia’s military leadership. In June, he called for an armed uprising to oust Russia’s defense chiefs, Valery Gerasimov and Sergei Shoigu. His men occupied Rostov-on-Don and marched on Moscow, shooting down military helicopters and killing their pilots. The Russian security services immediately opened a criminal investigation and demanded Prigozhin’s arrest. The Kremlin took the threat seriously, tightening security at key facilities in Moscow.
Peace talks, seemingly mediated by Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko, eventually brought the standoff to a peaceful conclusion. Prigozhin and some of his fighters were allowed to leave for Belarus, and the criminal case against him for armed mutiny was dropped. However, confusion surrounded the implementation of the deal, and it was unclear whether Prigozhin ever made it to Minsk. He was later seen back in St Petersburg, appearing at the Russia-Africa Summit.
Prigozhin’s relationship with Putin dates back to their time in Leningrad, now St Petersburg. He built a successful catering empire and gained political connections, earning him major state contracts and the nickname “Putin’s chef.” In 2014, he founded the Wagner Group, a Kremlin-allied private military company that has played a central role in Russia’s projection of influence in conflict zones around the world. The United States has sanctioned Wagner and accused it of atrocities.
Prigozhin was also involved in meddling in the 2016 US presidential election. He founded and financed the Internet Research Agency, a company that operated a covert social media campaign aimed at fomenting discord. He and several other Russian nationals were indicted as part of special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian election interference. The US Treasury Department has repeatedly sanctioned Prigozhin in connection with both the alleged election interference and his leadership of Wagner.
The Biden administration referred to Prigozhin as a “known bad actor” prior to his death, highlighting the impunity enjoyed by individuals like him under Putin’s rule. The circumstances surrounding Prigozhin’s death raise suspicions of foul play, further adding to the intrigue surrounding his life and activities.BREAKING NEWS: Yevgeny Prigozhin, Owner of Kremlin-Allied Wagner Group, Presumed Dead in Plane Crash
Yevgeny Prigozhin, a businessman with a catering empire and close ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin, is presumed dead after a suspicious plane crash just outside of Moscow. Prigozhin, who also owned the Kremlin-allied Wagner Group, a mercenary force that fought in Ukraine, had recently been openly critical of Russia’s military leadership.
The plane crash occurred on 23 August, when a private plane carrying Prigozhin and his deputy Dmitry Utkin crashed in the Tver region, killing all 10 people on board. While it has not been confirmed that Prigozhin was on the plane, his presence on the passenger list suggests that he was.
The crash is believed to be retribution for Prigozhin’s attempted uprising against Russia’s military leadership on 23 June. He called for an armed rebellion to oust Russia’s defence chiefs Valery Gerasimov and Sergei Shoigu, leading his men to occupy Rostov-on-Don and march on Moscow. The rebellion was eventually resolved through peace talks mediated by Belarussian president Alexander Lukashenko.
Prigozhin’s relationship with Putin dates back to their time in Leningrad, now St Petersburg. He built a successful catering business and was awarded major state contracts, earning him the nickname “Putin’s chef.” In 2014, he founded the Wagner Group, which has played a central role in Russia’s projection of influence in countries like Syria, Libya, and the Central African Republic.
Prigozhin also faced accusations of meddling in the 2016 US presidential election through his company, the Internet Research Agency. He and several other Russian nationals were indicted as part of special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian election interference. The US Treasury Department has sanctioned Prigozhin multiple times in connection with the alleged election interference and his leadership of Wagner.
Despite his criticism of Russia’s military leadership, Prigozhin continued to play a significant role in the country’s offensive in Ukraine and appeared to have the support of Putin. However, his failed mutiny seems to have been the final straw, leading to his presumed death in the plane crash.
The circumstances surrounding Prigozhin’s death and the implications for Russia’s military and political landscape remain unclear. The Biden administration has referred to him as a “known bad actor,” highlighting the impunity enjoyed by individuals like Prigozhin under Putin’s rule.
What evidence from the Senger list suggests Prigozhin’s involvement in the events described?
Senger list suggests his involvement.
Prigozhin’s death in the plane crash is believed to be connected to his rebellious actions against Russia’s military leadership. In June, he called for an armed uprising to remove Russia’s defense chiefs, Valery Gerasimov and Sergei Shoigu. His followers occupied Rostov-on-Don and even made their way to Moscow, attacking military helicopters and killing pilots. This prompted the Russian security services to launch a criminal investigation and demand Prigozhin’s arrest. The Kremlin took the threat seriously and heightened security measures in Moscow.
Peace talks, mediated by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, eventually resolved the standoff peacefully. Prigozhin and some of his fighters were allowed to leave for Belarus, and the criminal case against him for armed mutiny was dropped. However, there was confusion surrounding the implementation of the agreement, and it remains uncertain whether Prigozhin ever reached Minsk. Later, he was spotted at the Russia-Africa Summit in St Petersburg.
Prigozhin’s ties with Putin trace back to their time in Leningrad, now St Petersburg. He built a successful catering empire and established political connections that earned him lucrative state contracts. This association led to him being nicknamed “Putin’s chef.” In 2014, Prigozhin founded the Wagner Group, a private military company aligned with the Kremlin that has played a significant role in Russia’s interventions in conflict zones worldwide. The United States has sanctioned Wagner and accused the group of committing atrocities.
Prigozhin was also involved in meddling in the 2016 US presidential election. He founded and financed the Internet Research Agency, which conducted a covert social media campaign aimed at sowing discord. As part of special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian election interference, Prigozhin and several other Russian individuals were indicted. The US Treasury Department has repeatedly sanctioned Prigozhin for his alleged involvement in election interference and his leadership of Wagner.
The Biden administration referred to Prigozhin as a “known bad actor” prior to his death, highlighting the impunity enjoyed by individuals like him under Putin’s regime. The suspicious circumstances surrounding Prigozhin’s demise raise concerns of foul play, adding to the intrigue surrounding his life and activities.
Wow, sounds like a gripping and intriguing story. Can’t wait to read more about Yevgeny Prigozhin’s journey.
This sounds like a real-life thriller! I’m fascinated to uncover the secrets behind Yevgeny Prigozhin’s downfall and mysterious death.