A private jet belonging to Wagner Group chief Yevgeny Prigozhin has crashed in the Russian region of Tver, killing all 10 passengers, according to the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Russian Federation. The Wagner chief is reported to be on the flight’s passenger list.
Rosaviatsia, Russia’s aviation authority, confirmed Prigozhin and senior Wagner commander Dmitry Utkin were amongst the 10 people on the Embraer jet. The crash occurred 15 kilometers from Khotilovo, a Russian airbase, on Wednesday. The jet was allegedly shot down by Russian air defenses.
Prigozhin had recently been spotted in Niger, just months after an attempted coup against Vladimir Putin in Russia.
The Wagner mercenary boss began his career with Putin as his chef, quickly rising up the ranks to run what was one of the most effective and brutal non-state military groups in the world.
In August, Niger’s military regime appealed to Wagner for help against the Nigeria-led, West-aligned ECOWAS threats to invade the country in order to restore its ousted president.