Plane crash in Russia: bodies of dead taken for examination
The bodies of all 10 people killed in the crash of a business jet in the Tver Oblast of Russia, including Yevgeny Prigozhin, the leader of the Wagner Private Military Company (PMC), have been taken to a morgue for examination.
Source: Russian media outlet Fontanka; The Moscow Times and Russian Telegram channels
Quote from Fontanka’s source: "The bodies, all the bodies, went to Tver, to the forensic morgue."
Details: Russian Telegram channels posted a video of funeral service vehicles that have taken the bodies away.
Тіла всіх загиблих в авіакатастрофі в РФ відвезли у тверський морг, на місці падіння літака знайшли телефон Пригожина − росЗМІ. Відео з Telegram-каналу Shot pic.twitter.com/0q6lTXrCTS
— Українська правда ✌️ (@ukrpravda_news) August 24, 2023
Reportedly, two black GAZelles entered the fenced area at 04:30 and left at 06:00. Early reports indicate that the bodies will be taken to the Tver morgue on Bobkova Street, where the forensic examination office is located.
It is said that as of the morning of 24 August, forensic experts are still working at the scene of the plane crash.
The media have also reported that Prigozhin's phone was allegedly found at the scene of the plane crash.
The body of the Wagner leader has not yet been identified among the remains.
The part of the crashed Embraer plane's tail was located 3.5 kilometres from the crash site.
The Russian authorities have not yet commented on Prigozhin's likely death.
Background:
- On the evening of 23 August, a small plane crashed in Russian Tver Oblast, and the Russians claimed that Yevgeny Prigozhin, leader of the Wagner Group, was on board.
- The Grey Zone Telegram channel, which is close to the Wagner Group, claimed that Yevgeny Prigozhin's plane had been shot down by air defence fire.
- It was also shared that a terrorist attack on board is being considered as a line of enquiry regarding the crash of Prigozhin's plane.
- The VCHK-OGPU Telegram channel, which is also affiliated with the Wagner Group, reported that the bodies of Prigozhin and his deputy Utkin had been found and identified, and Grey Zone added that "Prigozhin died as a result of the actions of traitors to Russia".
- The Russian media saw a certain 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 of justice" on the evening of 23 June – ed.].
- Analysts at the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) believe that Russian President Vladimir Putin took revenge for the humiliation of the Wagner Group’s mutiny and ordered the assassination of their leadership.
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