WASHINGTON: A US top official said on Wednesday that the probable death of Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin in an aircraft crash would not be a surprise given his falling out with President Putin.
In a statement, National Security Council spokeswoman Adrienne Watson said that they have seen the reports” of the plane crash. She added that no one should be surprised if the reports were confirmed.
Wagner Chief’s Death Would Be No Surprise: US Official
According to the White House, US President Joe Biden had also been briefed on the incident, in which a private airplane plunged to the ground in Moscow.
Yevgeny Prigozhin, who established his private Wagner army a fighting force in the conflict on Ukraine but also created enemies in the Russian regular army, was on the plane’s passenger list, Russian state media reported.
The accident came sixty days after Wagner Chief’s launched a rebellious march on Russia’s capital Moscow, aiming to force the exclusion of Russia’s military leadership.
Read Also: Wagner Chief Among 10 Killed in Private Plane Crash Near Moscow
Earlier, the media reported that a private aircraft traveling from Moscow to Saint Petersburg crashed in the Tver Region. “There were 10 people on board, including three crew members. According to initial information, all those on board died,” the Ministry of Emergency Situations reported on Telegram.
Russian state-run news agencies stated that the head of the Wagner group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, was on the list of passengers of the crashed plane. “The private plane that crashed near Moscow listed Yevgeny Prigozhin among its passengers,” Russia’s aviation agency Rosaviatsia said. Russia’s TASS news agency reported, with RIA Novosti and Interfax issuing similar reports.
An investigation has also been initiated into the crash of the aircraft that occurred in the Tver region.
