Russian President Vladimir Putin, during a meeting of the Valdai Discussion Club in the Black Sea resort of Sochi, made suggestions regarding the plane crash that claimed the life of Wagner mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin in August. He proposed that the crash was caused by hand grenades exploding inside the aircraft, rather than a missile attack.
The fatal incident involved a private Embraer jet on which Prigozhin and nine others were traveling to St Petersburg. The crash occurred north of Moscow on August 23, resulting in the loss of all 10 lives on board, including two other prominent Wagner figures, Prigozhin's four bodyguards, and a crew of three.
Putin implied that the plane's destruction was initiated from within the aircraft, citing information relayed to him by the head of Russia's investigative committee just a few days ago. He stated that fragments of hand grenades were discovered in the bodies of the crash victims, emphasizing that there was no external impact on the plane, effectively dismissing earlier claims by unidentified US officials who believed it had been shot down.
While Putin did not provide additional details on how hand grenades might have been detonated on board, he expressed his belief that investigators erred by not conducting alcohol and drug tests on the crash victims.
Putin also mentioned that, during searches of Wagner's offices in St Petersburg, the FSB security service had uncovered 10 billion roubles ($100 million) in cash and 5 kg (11 pounds) of cocaine.
The cause of the crash has not yet been publicly disclosed by investigators, and neither Wagner nor Prigozhin's family has offered a response to Putin's comments.
Yevgeny Prigozhin's death occurred two months after he led a brief mutiny against Russia's defense establishment, marking a significant challenge to Putin's leadership since his ascent to power in 1999. Western diplomats have suggested that this event revealed the strains Russia faced due to the war in Ukraine. The Kremlin has firmly rejected allegations that Putin orchestrated Prigozhin's death in retaliation.
The future of Wagner has remained uncertain following Prigozhin's mutiny and his subsequent demise. Putin ordered Wagner fighters to sign contracts with the defense ministry, a move that Prigozhin and many of his associates had opposed.
When questioned about the future of private military companies in Russia, Putin remarked that since there was no legislation governing such groups, the experience with them in Russia had been "clumsy." He noted that there was no consensus in Russia regarding the necessity of such formations, but he confirmed that several thousand fighters from the company had already signed contracts with the armed forces.
Putin also alluded to the complex nature of regulating private military companies and their legal status in Russia, stating that it was a subject under consideration. He mentioned that such companies existed and operated actively in many countries, particularly abroad, and whether they were required in Russia would be a matter of further consideration.
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