The private plane belonging to Yevgeny Prigozhin, the chief of the Wagner Group, crashed in Russia under mysterious circumstances.
The Embraer Legacy 600 executive jet, carrying Prigozhin and other senior members of the Wagner Group, experienced a sudden drop 30 seconds before the crash. The plane plummeted more than 8,000 feet from its cruising altitude of 28,000 feet.
According to Ian Petchenik of Flightradar24, there were no signs of distress before the sudden descent. Video footage captured the plane nose-diving with a plume of smoke or vapor trailing behind it. The crash occurred near the village of Kuzhenkino in the Tver region while the plane was en route from Moscow to St. Petersburg.
The Embraer jet model has a strong safety record, with only one recorded accident in over 20 years of service. However, it is worth noting that the Brazilian plane manufacturer has not been providing support services for Prigozhin's jet since 2019 due to compliance with US sanctions on the mercenary boss.
Since news of the crash broke, speculation has been rife about the cause and potential targets. Prigozhin was recently labeled a "traitor" by Russian President Vladimir Putin for leading a short-lived mutiny against top military brass. One theory circulating on Russian social media suggests that a bomb may have been planted onboard the plane, possibly concealed inside a crate of wine.
The Telegram channel VChK-OGPU, linked to Russian security services, reported that someone testified to the presence of a crate of expensive wine loaded onto the plane at the last moment. Authorities are now investigating claims that the crate may have contained a bomb. It is worth noting that the plane had undergone a thorough search with sniffer dogs before the wine crate was loaded.
Another report from the same Telegram channel, citing an anonymous source, stated that the flight attendant, Kristina Raspopova, had mentioned an "important phone call" pending their departure from Moscow in a conversation with her brother before the ill-fated trip. The report also claimed that the jet had been undergoing repairs.
Investigations are currently underway to determine if an explosive was planted in the jet's landing gear. British defense sources, speaking anonymously to BBC News, have pointed fingers at Russia's FSB domestic intelligence agency, which is loyal to Putin. However, no evidence has been provided to support this claim.
The Telegram channel Grey Zone, closely associated with the Wagner Group, reported, citing "various sources," that Russian air defense systems shot down Prigozhin's plane.
Abbas Gallyamov, a former Putin speechwriter turned critic, suggested that Putin himself may have been behind the crash, strengthening his authority after Prigozhin's rebellion in June. Bill Browder, a prominent businessman and Kremlin critic, went even further, blaming Putin directly and claiming that the crash would cement his authority.
Login