Plane Carrying Yevgeny Prigozhin, Leader of Wagner Group, Crashes; U.S. Official Suggests Explosion May Have Been Cause

A plane carrying Yevgeny Prigozhin, the leader of the Wagner Group, is believed to have crashed on Friday, and a U.S. official has suggested that an explosion may have been the cause. Prigozhin had recently led an uprising against Russia’s military leadership.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov denied any involvement in the crash, saying that the speculation that Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a hit on Prigozhin was an “absolute lie.” He added that the official results of the investigation will be published.

The crash has sparked speculation that Prigozhin’s death was a revenge assassination for his aborted mutiny two months earlier. However, few facts have been established and forensic tests are still needed to confirm Prigozhin’s death.

An informal memorial has been set up in St. Petersburg in honor of Prigozhin, who was viewed by many as a powerful figure in the private military company Wagner Group. The cause of the crash is still under investigation, and it is unclear whether Prigozhin’s death was the result of foul play or a tragic accident.