Putin named Prigozhin "a man of complex fate" (video)

The President of Russia for the first time commented on the crash of Prigozhin’s plane.

In a conversation with Denis Pushilin, the acting head of the DPR, Vladimir Putin called the tragedy plane crash founder of PMC “Wagner” Yevgeny Prigozhin:

“As for this aviation accident, first of all I want to express my sincere condolences to the families of all the victims. Primary data indicate that representatives of the Wagner PMC were on board. I would like to note that these are people who have made a significant contribution to our common cause of fighting the neo-Nazi regime in Ukraine. We remember it, we know it and we will not forget it.”

Putin called Prigozhin a talented person and businessman who knew how to achieve results both for himself and for the common cause, at the same time noting that there were serious mistakes in his life.

On June 23, Prigozhin, the head of a PMC taking part in hostilities in Ukraine, accused the Russian Ministry of Defense of attacking a Wagner camp (the ministry called the accusations a provocation), and the next day announced about blocking the headquarters of the Southern Military District in Rostov-on-Don.

The forces of PMC “Wagner” and its equipment started moving towards Moscowbut Prigogine unfolded them after negotiations with the President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko. The case against the businessman was closed and he was allowed to leave for Belarus. Later, Prigogine came to Russia. Putin called the events of June 23-24 an attempted mutiny, recalls RBC edition:

“The one who organized and prepared the military rebellion, who raised arms against his comrades-in-arms, betrayed Russia. And they will answer for it.”

Prigozhin worked not only in Russia, but also abroad, in particular in Africa, the Russian president noted in an interview with Pushilin. He was engaged in oil, gas, precious metals there. Putin said that, according to his information, on the day of the plane crash, Prigozhin returned from Africa, met with officials in Russia:

“But what is absolutely perfect, the head of the Investigative Committee reported to me this morning [Александр Бастрыкин], they have already begun a preliminary investigation of this incident, it will be carried out in full and brought to an end, there is no doubt about it. Now they are conducting technical examinations, it will take some time.”

On the fact of the plane crash, the Investigative Committee opened a criminal case under Art. 263 of the Criminal Code (violation of the rules of traffic safety and operation of air transport). The investigation is considering various versions, including about “external influence,” says a RBC source.

In the past, there have already been cases when Prigozhin was declared dead, for example, it was reported that he was in the An-72 aircraft that crashed in the Congo in 2019, but this was not confirmed later.

Among the versions of the state of emergency in the Tver region is the launch of an air defense missile and the explosion of a bomb installed on board the aircraft. The fact that the plane could have crashed due to “external influence” is reported by a number of Russian and world media and telegram channels. How claims Associated Press, citing US intelligence, the plane crashed “as a result of a deliberate explosion.”

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