2023-08-24 16:17:00
Regarding the boss of the Wagner militia, Putin salutes a “talented” man who has made “mistakes” and says he has known him since the 90s. He also praised the “contribution” to the offensive in Ukraine of the boss of Wagner. “He was a man with a complicated destiny, who made serious mistakes in his life, but who got the results he needed,” Vladimir Putin told Russian television. “These are people who have made a significant contribution to our common effort” in Ukraine, where Russia has been waging a military offensive since February 2022, Putin continued.
He also assures that the investigation will be “carried out to the end”. Indeed, an investigation for “violation of air transport safety rules” was opened on Wednesday evening, reports BFMTV. “A team of investigators was sent to the scene (…) to establish the causes of the accident,” reads a statement from the Russian Investigation Committee. “We will see what the investigators say in the near future. Expertise is underway, technical and genetic expertise. It will take some time,” Vladimir Putin added.
The Russian authorities have so far not advanced any leads to explain the crash early Wednesday evening of the private jet which, according to Russian civil aviation, was carrying Mr. Prigojine, his right-hand man Dmitri Utkin and other Wagner officials.
The accident, which fueled speculation that the man who had become the enemy of the Kremlin after its abortive rebellion in June had been assassinated, killed the 10 occupants of the aircraft, according to the authorities.
Yevgeny Prigojine led a rebellion on June 23-24 against the Russian General Staff and Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, marching on Moscow, taking a military headquarters and shooting down Russian army planes.
He renounced his mutiny after an agreement that provided for his exile to Belarus, with the men wishing to follow him and the abandonment of all charges. Yet Wagner’s leader continued to come to Russia, even to the Kremlin. According to Vladimir Putin, Prigozhin returned from Africa on Wednesday.
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