Kremlin Rejects Allegations of Killing Wagner Chief Prigozhin
The Kremlin has refuted claims that it sanctioned the assassination of Yevgeny Prigozhin, the leader of the Russian mercenary group Wagner, while also declining to definitively verify his demise.
Russia’s aviation authority confirmed that Prigozhin, who headed the Wagner mercenary outfit, was aboard a private jet that crashed on August 23, northwest of Moscow, with no survivors.
Prigozhin had previously attempted an unsuccessful revolt against the Kremlin and Russia’s military leadership two months back. However, he withdrew his forces following Belarusian President’s assertion of a pact between Putin and himself to prevent bloodshed.
Post the alleged deal, Prigozhin was seen in Belarus and Africa, freely traveling in and out of Russia without concern for retaliation from Putin.
A day after the crash, President Vladimir Putin conveyed his condolences to the crash victims’ families. Speaking in past tense, Putin alluded to Prigozhin’s death and acknowledged his mistakes.
Accusations from Western politicians, although unsupported by evidence, suggested Putin might have ordered Prigozhin’s killing as retribution for the June 23-34 mutiny against army leadership. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed these claims as false, emphasizing the need to await test results.
Peskov pointed out, “All of this is an absolute lie, and here, when covering this issue, it is necessary to base yourself on facts. There are not many facts yet. They need to be established in the course of investigative actions.”
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov chastised U.S. President Joe Biden for his lack of surprise at Prigozhin’s death in a plane crash, accusing him of ignoring diplomatic norms.
Russian investigators have initiated a probe into the incident but haven’t disclosed their suspicions about the plane’s sudden descent.
Regarding official confirmation of Prigozhin’s death, Peskov referred to Putin’s statement, indicating pending genetic tests. Peskov, stating that Putin hadn’t recently met Prigozhin, also expressed uncertainty about the timeline for tests and investigation.
He concluded that it was premature to discuss Putin’s attendance at Prigozhin’s funeral due to the president’s busy schedule.