"Let's just wait and see": Ukraine's Defence Intelligence on Prigozhin's death
Ukraine’s Defence Intelligence believes that we need to wait for confirmation of the death of Wagner Group founder Yevgeny Prigozhin.
Source: Vadym Skibitskyi, a representative of Defence Intelligence of Ukraine, on the 24/7 national newscast
Quote: "Let's just wait. It's not that simple... There was a case with Prigozhin before when allegedly there was a plane crash, but he remained alive. This is Russia − Russia is difficult to understand."
Previously: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy believes that Russian President Vladimir Putin was responsible for the death of Yevgeny Prigozhin, founder of the Wagner Group.
Background:
- On the evening of 23 August, Russian media and Rosaviatsiya [the Federal Air Transport Agency − ed.] reported that a small plane had crashed with Wagner Group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin on board.
- The Grey Zone Telegram channel, which is close to the Wagner Group, claimed that Yevgeny Prigozhin's plane was shot down by air defence fire. It was also reported that a terrorist attack on board was being considered as a line of enquiry into the crash.
- Rosaviatsia shared a full list of the passengers on the plane that crashed in Tver Oblast on the evening of 23 August. Yevgeny Prigozhin was on the list.
- The Russian media saw some symbolism in the fact that the plane crash occurred on 23 August, exactly two months after the Wagner Group’s mutiny [Prigozhin announced his "march for justice" on the evening of 23 June – ed.].
- Analysts at the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) were of the opinion that Vladimir Putin had taken revenge for the humiliation of the mutiny and ordered the destruction of the Wagner Group’s leadership.
- US President Joe Biden suggested that Russian President Vladimir Putin might be behind the plane crash.
Ukrainska Pravda is the place where you will find the most up-to-date information about everything related to the war in Ukraine. Follow us on Twitter, support us, or become our patron!
