Main Edition
US
FR
August 24, 2023 - 11:50am
Yesterday evening, Russia’s civil aviation agency reported the death of Wagner Group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin, after his name was listed among the passengers of a jet which crashed in the Tver region, north-west of the capital. All 10 on board, three crew and seven passengers, were killed, according to Russian state media.
While Moscow-based broadcaster Tsargrad claimed that Prigozhin’s body had been identified, much of the Western media has been careful not to confirm the death of Vladimir Putin’s confidante-turned-nemesis. The BBC, for instance, notably changed its description of Prigozhin from “killed” to “presumed dead”.
What’s behind this rising tide of scepticism over Prigozhin’s fate? Below are three factors giving Russia-watchers pause for thought…
The other plane:
The UK press, drawing on claims from Wagner-affiliated Telegram groups, has reported that a second aircraft supposedly belonging to Prigozhin landed safely in Moscow yesterday evening. Flight radar captured the jet travelling over the same Tver region in which the other plane crashed. Russian military bloggers have suggested that the Wagner boss was equally likely to have travelled on the second, slightly larger plane.
The other Prigozhin:
Keir Giles, Senior Consulting Fellow of the Russia and Eurasia Programme at Chatham House, has told the US Mirror that a body appearing to belong to Prigozhin might actually be his body double. “Until we know for certain that it’s the right Prigozhin, let’s not be surprised if he pops up shortly in a new video from Africa [where he was filmed earlier this week],” he continued. Moreover, he added, “it is also known that multiple individuals have changed their name to Yevgeny Prigozhin, as part of his efforts to obfuscate his travels”.
The other crash:
This is not the first time Prigozhin has been thought dead, nor even the first time his demise has been attributed to a plane crash. In October 2019, Russian news website Readovka claimed that the Wagner leader had died on board a jet flying to the Democratic Republic of Congo, where he was set to meet African leaders. A few days later, state media agency RIA Novosti denied the report, saying that Prigozhin was in Russia at the time and “very surprised to be considered dead”. After this near-miss, could Putin’s most dangerous rival have cheated death again?
Join the discussion
Join like minded readers that support our journalism by becoming a paid subscriber
To join the discussion in the comments, become a paid subscriber.
Join like minded readers that support our journalism, read unlimited articles and enjoy other subscriber-only benefits.
SubscribeAsk him to say hi to Lin Biao for me.
Haha!
Haha!
Ask him to say hi to Lin Biao for me.
He could be visiting his mum
He could be visiting his mum
At the time when the Wagner group marched towards Moscow and turned back midway, some commentators including a German General were commenting, that it might be all staged. Perfect way for Putin to find out, which of his people , especially his generals, were sitting on the fence. Surely enough the deputy commander of Russian troops in Ukraine, Surovikin, was placed under house arrest afterwards. Wonder what will happen to him in the near future. Nobody believed in Putin’s pardoning and the Wagner troops peacefully moving to Belarus.
It might be a conspiracy theory, but with Putin anything is possible or it is Prigozhin’s final vanishing act. Who knows…
Oh, Putin is a master at this!
That’s how he has taken 95% of Ukraine’s territory.
Pure genius!
Oh, Putin is a master at this!
That’s how he has taken 95% of Ukraine’s territory.
Pure genius!
At the time when the Wagner group marched towards Moscow and turned back midway, some commentators including a German General were commenting, that it might be all staged. Perfect way for Putin to find out, which of his people , especially his generals, were sitting on the fence. Surely enough the deputy commander of Russian troops in Ukraine, Surovikin, was placed under house arrest afterwards. Wonder what will happen to him in the near future. Nobody believed in Putin’s pardoning and the Wagner troops peacefully moving to Belarus.
It might be a conspiracy theory, but with Putin anything is possible or it is Prigozhin’s final vanishing act. Who knows…
My first thought when I heard the “news” of Prigozhin’s demise from Russian sources was “I bet he’s not dead, I bet this is staged”.
I’m thinking that this is a ruse and that Prigozhin is going to pop up somewhere in Western Europe in the next few weeks. The Poles have been concerned about Wagner soldiers smuggling themselves onto NATO territory posing as migrants.
Why not smuggle the big beast himself in and have him pop up – surprise! – posing for a selfie in front of the Brandenburg Gate or something? Or in neutral Austria? That would be the ultimate provocation – not to mention the ultimate in bad taste and cynicism. In other words: exactly Putin’s game.
Indeed.
Putin’s popping up in Kyiv, after his army took it, was exactly “his game.”
Remember how surprised we all were?
Indeed.
Putin’s popping up in Kyiv, after his army took it, was exactly “his game.”
Remember how surprised we all were?
My first thought when I heard the “news” of Prigozhin’s demise from Russian sources was “I bet he’s not dead, I bet this is staged”.
I’m thinking that this is a ruse and that Prigozhin is going to pop up somewhere in Western Europe in the next few weeks. The Poles have been concerned about Wagner soldiers smuggling themselves onto NATO territory posing as migrants.
Why not smuggle the big beast himself in and have him pop up – surprise! – posing for a selfie in front of the Brandenburg Gate or something? Or in neutral Austria? That would be the ultimate provocation – not to mention the ultimate in bad taste and cynicism. In other words: exactly Putin’s game.
On top of this uncertainty, France and the USA also have good reason to want him dead, given the unfolding situation in the Sahel.
No western nation is going to shoot down a Wagner jet in Russian airspace
Agreed, but it looks more like a bomb.
I will go – 99% he’s dead, and 98% the order came for Putin!
Agreed, but it looks more like a bomb.
I will go – 99% he’s dead, and 98% the order came for Putin!
No western nation is going to shoot down a Wagner jet in Russian airspace
On top of this uncertainty, France and the USA also have good reason to want him dead, given the unfolding situation in the Sahel.
Not that I care,but on reflection I don’t think he’s shuffled off this mortal coil. It’s too much like a story where the bad guy gets his just desserts in the end which does not happen in real life,this life anyway.
Indeed.
Look at Hitler, Mussolini, Tojo, Qaddafi, Saddam…
All died in their sleep…
Indeed.
Look at Hitler, Mussolini, Tojo, Qaddafi, Saddam…
All died in their sleep…
Not that I care,but on reflection I don’t think he’s shuffled off this mortal coil. It’s too much like a story where the bad guy gets his just desserts in the end which does not happen in real life,this life anyway.
He’s dead.
And his death shows why the current war will either end in a Ukrainian victory, or a ceasefire, negotiated or otherwise.
Any agreement made with Putin, or with almost all Russian politicians, is worthless.
They see anyone willing to make a deal as weak, or a fool.
Get used to this war.
It will be around quite awhile.
The Russians are winning
Nice to see all those attacks on Crimea.
The algorithm for your exclusively Russian feed have any youtube videos of it?
Thought not…
Nice to see all those attacks on Crimea.
The algorithm for your exclusively Russian feed have any youtube videos of it?
Thought not…
The Russians are winning
He’s dead.
And his death shows why the current war will either end in a Ukrainian victory, or a ceasefire, negotiated or otherwise.
Any agreement made with Putin, or with almost all Russian politicians, is worthless.
They see anyone willing to make a deal as weak, or a fool.
Get used to this war.
It will be around quite awhile.
When and if the Kremlin/ Putin acknowledge his death, it’ll be sure – they would not embarrass themselves by getting that wrong. As it is now, the confirmation of his death has only come from The Ministry of Emergency Situations – who I’m sure could and would be defenestrated without much embarrassment to the big man.
Wheels within wheels!!
Wheels within wheels!!
When and if the Kremlin/ Putin acknowledge his death, it’ll be sure – they would not embarrass themselves by getting that wrong. As it is now, the confirmation of his death has only come from The Ministry of Emergency Situations – who I’m sure could and would be defenestrated without much embarrassment to the big man.
I don’t know. Have you checked his pulse?
I don’t know. Have you checked his pulse?
Some westerners are getting as dumb as Russians.
The cult of Prigozhin’s imminent Resurrection seems already to be gaining strength.
Just as the Cult of the False Dmitry (that one had two of them!), and the Cult of Pugachev as the Reincarnation of Ekaterina’s murdered husband.
This will probably last for a little while among westerners–and become a fixture among Real Russians. That’s just how their tiny minds work.
They still hadn’t adopted European Medieval Evidence Based analysis–so about 800 years behind the West
Nice attack on Crimea, BTW.
Ha, I had forgotten about the False Dmitry. Where else but Russia?
The idiots will swallow anything.
That’s why they’ve lost their empire.
The idiots will swallow anything.
That’s why they’ve lost their empire.
Ha, I had forgotten about the False Dmitry. Where else but Russia?
Some westerners are getting as dumb as Russians.
The cult of Prigozhin’s imminent Resurrection seems already to be gaining strength.
Just as the Cult of the False Dmitry (that one had two of them!), and the Cult of Pugachev as the Reincarnation of Ekaterina’s murdered husband.
This will probably last for a little while among westerners–and become a fixture among Real Russians. That’s just how their tiny minds work.
They still hadn’t adopted European Medieval Evidence Based analysis–so about 800 years behind the West
Nice attack on Crimea, BTW.
My overwhelming response to this is, ‘where else but Russia’? It’s like the plot of a bad movie, and most of us would call it a conspiracy theory or tabloid journalism had it occurred in any other country. Russia though, we don’t bat an eye, and view all this as quite possible if not probable, because of Russia’s long established history with this sort of insanity. Assassinations, backstabbing, body doubles, dubious ‘accidents’, etc. are all pretty much historical normal for Russia back to the Muscovite era.
My overwhelming response to this is, ‘where else but Russia’? It’s like the plot of a bad movie, and most of us would call it a conspiracy theory or tabloid journalism had it occurred in any other country. Russia though, we don’t bat an eye, and view all this as quite possible if not probable, because of Russia’s long established history with this sort of insanity. Assassinations, backstabbing, body doubles, dubious ‘accidents’, etc. are all pretty much historical normal for Russia back to the Muscovite era.
Prigozhin could have stayed in Africa.
He’s dead.
Get used to it.
To misquote Socrates “the only thing I know for certain is that you know nothing”.
Except that Putin couldn’t take Kyiv–or hold Kherson, Kupyansk, Liman, or Robotyne.
He sure misplaces a lot of things!
Except that Putin couldn’t take Kyiv–or hold Kherson, Kupyansk, Liman, or Robotyne.
He sure misplaces a lot of things!
To misquote Socrates “the only thing I know for certain is that you know nothing”.
Prigozhin could have stayed in Africa.
He’s dead.
Get used to it.
That he has disappeared seems evident. How is another question. Aboard the private jet? Perhaps. Or, perhaps not. The enigmatic ways of the Russian oligarchy will not be penetrated any time soon…
That he has disappeared seems evident. How is another question. Aboard the private jet? Perhaps. Or, perhaps not. The enigmatic ways of the Russian oligarchy will not be penetrated any time soon…
Don’t worry; Generalissimo Francisco Franco is still dead.
Don’t worry; Generalissimo Francisco Franco is still dead.
This mercenary chief has passed on!
He has ceased to be!
He has gone on to meet his maker!
He is no more!
This…is an ex-mercenary chief !!