The news of the death of Wagner Group’s chief, Yevgeny Prigozhin, shocked the world. The billionaire met his end when a private aircraft, an Embraer, was tragically shot down by Russian defence forces in the Tver region. Bound for St. Petersburg from Moscow, the plane carried ten souls on board — seven passengers and a trio forming the crew. The passenger list included Prigozhin’s name, as per Russian media reports.
The mysterious downing of the aircraft was further discussed on a Telegram channel affiliated with Prigozhin’s private military company. They indicated that the aircraft had fallen victim to air defences.
Biden’s Remarks: Putin’s Pervading Influence
US President Joe Biden did not hesitate to comment on the incident during an interaction with journalists after his exercise session near Lake Tahoe. The president subtly insinuated that Russian President Vladimir Putin may have had a hand in the incident, alluding to Putin’s encompassing influence in the nation. “There’s not much that happens in Russia that Putin is not behind,” Biden stated, emphasizing his point yet admitting, “I don’t know for a fact what happened, but I’m not surprised.”
Also recalling his jesting warning to Prigozhin last month in Helsinki, Biden reminisced, saying, “If I were he, I’d be careful what I ate. I’d keep my eye on my menu.” This jibe was in light of Prigozhin’s significant involvement, through his elite Wagner force, in the Ukraine conflict and a preceding abortive rebellion.
Prigozhin’s demise didn’t occur in a vacuum. Just two months before this unfortunate event, he spearheaded Wagner in a bold yet fleeting insurgent march targeting Moscow, aspiring to oust the country’s military elite.
White House National Security Council’s spokeswoman, Adrienne Watson, added another layer to the enigma surrounding Prigozhin’s death. Drawing attention to the June upheaval and Russia’s specialized military intervention in Ukraine, Watson remarked, “The disastrous war in Ukraine led to a private army marching on Moscow, and now — it would seem — to this.” Her statement, echoing Biden’s, insinuates the intricate web of political events leading up to the Wagner chief’s sudden end.
