Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of Wagner Group, was listed as a passenger aboard a jet that tragically crashed, resulting in the loss of all lives on board, according to Russia’s civil aviation authority.
The group was rumoured to be playing a role in the current crisis in Niger over the threats of ECOWAS intervention.
Earlier reports from the Wagner-affiliated Telegram channel Grey Zone indicated that the Embraer aircraft was brought down by air defense systems in the Tver region, situated to the north of Moscow.
The plane, en route from Moscow to St. Petersburg, carried a total of seven passengers and three crew members.
Prigozhin had previously led an unsuccessful rebellion against the Russian armed forces in June.
Grey Zone relayed that local residents heard dual explosions prior to the crash and witnessed two distinct vapor trails.
According to Tass news agency, the plane ignited upon impact with the ground, with the recovery of four bodies already confirmed.
The aircraft had been airborne for less than thirty minutes, as per their reports.
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