Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that traces of explosives were discovered in the remains of Yevgeny Prigozhin, the chief of the Wagner mercenary group, and his crew after their plane crashed between Moscow and Saint Petersburg in August. This suggests that the explosives were detonated inside the aircraft they were travelling by, reported news agency AFP. The revelation came two months after Prigozhin led a brief mutiny against Russia's top military brass.
Internal Explosion, Not Missile Strike
Putin dismissed the possibility of a missile strike, asserting that the plane was blown up from the inside. According to AFP, while addressing the Valdai Discussion Club, Putin stated, "Fragments of hand grenades were found on the bodies of the victims of the air disaster. There was no external impact on the plane — this is already an established fact."
While providing the first significant update on the investigation, Putin criticised investigators for neglecting alcohol and drug tests on Prigozhin and the nine other crash victims. He alleged that Wagner's offices yielded five kilograms of cocaine after the short-lived rebellion against the Russian military.
"A blood test for alcohol was not done," Putin remarked, expressing dissatisfaction. He further stated, "Even though we know that after the famous events in the (Wagner) company in Saint Petersburg, the FSB (security service) found not only 10 billion in cash, but also five kilograms of cocaine," Putin was further quoted as saying.
Unresolved Questions
Russian investigators are exploring various scenarios, including premeditated murder. The fate of Wagner has been uncertain since Prigozhin's death, as Putin ordered Wagner fighters to sign contracts with Russia's defence ministry, a move opposed by Prigozhin and many of his men.
Putin addressed the issue of private military companies in Russia, noting the lack of consensus and describing the experience as "clumsy." He revealed that several thousand fighters from Wagner had already signed contracts with the armed forces.
Previous Claims
The crash in August claimed the lives of Prigozhin and nine others, occurring exactly two months after Prigozhin's mutiny against Russia's defence establishment. Western officials and Kremlin critics had previously suggested foul play, with a preliminary US intelligence assessment pointing towards an intentional explosion causing the crash.
Prigozhin, accused of gross human rights abuses, had led the Wagner Group mercenary force across various conflict zones, including Ukraine, Syria, Libya, and several African countries. Putin, reflecting on Prigozhin's death, acknowledged his serious mistakes but credited him for achieving the right results in his life.