Prigozhin plane crash: Hand grenade fragments found in the bodies of victims, says Vladimir Putin
Wagner chief Prigozhin plane crash may be deliberate, says Kremlin AP said it could not verify Putin's statement. While an investigation has been launched, no findings have yet been released, AP reported. Russia had also rejected an offer of joint inquiry by Brazil, where Prigozhin's jet was manufactured.
In his statement, Putin said the probe is “ongoing" and did not give a reason for the crash. His words did allude to a grenade explosion and finding of 5 kg cocaine in Prigozhin's St. Petersburgh office.
Also Read: Russia refuses to probe Prigozhin plane crash under international rules Notably, a preliminary United States intelligence assessment had concluded that an intentional explosion caused the crash. Officials also acknowledged a long list of Putin's opponents who have been assassinated. The Russian President has held office for over 20 years and seems set to have another term.
The Kremlin has called the US allegations an “absolute lie". Prigozhin was chief of the Wagner Group private military in Russia, which had in June threatened Putin's power through a short-lived mutiny. Also Read: Yevgeny Prigozhin's death in plane crash: What will happen to Wagner group now? Prigozhin had cemented ties with the Russian leader in the 90s – and known as "Putin's chef" for nabbing Kremlin catering contracts.
The Wagner Group has been active in military conflicts in Ukraine, Syria, and many African countries. After his death, Putin said the 62-year-old was “a man of difficult fate who had made serious mistakes in life." Prigozhin challenge spanning June 23-24 had attempted to dislodge the Defense Ministry for mistakes in the Ukraine war. Wagner mercenaries seized the country's southern military headquarters in Rostov-on-Don,
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