jun 17, 2023 - Aug 24, 2023: The Australian: Witness account of missile strike on Wagner Group jet. Second jet account

Description:

Prigozhin killed in missile strike on Wagner Group jet. Witness account of missile air defenses. Report of a second business jet owned by Mr Prigozhin headed to Moscow shortly after the plane crash, leading to speculation the presence of the second plane could be a "dead man switch" or a way for the Wagner leader to fake his death.

The Australian
Aug 24, 2023 22:53
Copyright 2023 Nationwide News Pty Limited All Rights Reserved

Author: JACQUELIN MAGNAY EUROPE CORRESPONDENT
Section: WORLD
Print Edition: Australian Edition
Length: 627 words
Body
Yevgeny Prigozhin, the man who angered Vladimir Putin with a bizarre attempted coup in June, has been confirmed dead in a fiery plane crash over Russia.

Russia's aviation authority, Rosaviatsia, has confirmed the Wagner boss and Wagner chief commander Dmitry Utkin were on board Mr Prigozhin's private plane when it exploded above the Tver region, 100km north of Moscow on Wednesday.

Mr Prigozhin, the leader of the paramilitary Wagner Group, was listed as a passenger, and all 10 on board the Embraer were declared dead by Russian authorities.

Intelligence analysts had reported that a second business jet owned by Mr Prigozhin headed to Moscow shortly after the plane crash, leading to speculation the presence of the second plane could be a "dead man switch" or a way for the Wagner leader to fake his death.

Footage quickly emerged on social media showing a stricken plane on fire, falling from the sky. It had the tail number RA-02795, identifying it as a plane owned by Mr Prigozhin, and it exploded into flames on hitting the ground.

Witnesses said the plane, believed to be heading to St Petersburg, was shot down by a missile.

Wagner associates on the Grey Zone Telegram channel claimed: "Before the plane crash, two local residents listened to two bursts of characteristic air defence. This is confirmed by contrails in the sky in one of the videos, as well as the words of direct eyewitnesses." Early unconfirmed reports suggested a business jet with the tail number RA-02795 crashed in the region after turning its transponders off, according to The Times of London.

Russian sources were claiming a terrorist attack, or perhaps sabotage of the aircraft, caused an explosion on board.

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