Russian President Vladimir Putin announced on Thursday that explosive traces have been found in the remains of Yevgeny Prigozhin, the leader of the Wagner mercenary group, and his crew after their plane crashed in Russia in August.
The plane carrying Prigozhin crashed between Moscow and Saint Petersburg in August, following a brief mutiny led by Prigozhin against Russia’s top military leadership. This development has raised suspicions among Kremlin critics and Western nations, who have suggested foul play. Putin’s remarks mark a significant update on Russia’s investigation into the crash.
At a meeting of the Valdai Discussion Club, Putin stated, “Fragments of hand grenades were found in the bodies of the victims of the air disaster. There was no external impact on the plane.” Russian investigators have been examining various scenarios surrounding the crash, including the possibility of premeditated murder.
However, Putin criticized the investigators for not conducting alcohol and drug tests on Prigozhin and the other nine crash victims. He also alleged that five kilograms of cocaine were discovered at the offices of the Wagner mercenary group following their short-lived rebellion.
“A blood test for alcohol was not done,” Putin emphasized. “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.”
Prigozhin had led an armed rebellion against Moscow’s military leadership in June, posing a significant challenge to Putin’s long-standing rule. Following the crash, Putin described Prigozhin as a man who had made “serious mistakes in his life but he achieved the right results.”
The Kremlin has dismissed claims that it orchestrated the crash in retaliation for the Wagner mercenary group’s march on Moscow. It’s worth noting that Russia has a history of mysterious deaths of Kremlin opponents during Putin’s leadership.