Wagner boss Prigozhin reportedly dead in plane crash, Musk reacts
What's the story
Yevgeny Prigozhin, the Wagner mercenary group chief who led an armed rebellion against Russian President Vladimir Putin, has reportedly died on Wednesday in a plane crash. However, this news did not come as a surprise to many. Billionaire investor and business magnate Elon Musk reacted by saying that Prigozhin's death took "longer" than he "expected," adding that there is a slight chance that it was a psychological operation.
Context
Why does this story matter?
Russia's Ministry for Emergency Situations announced the crash of a private jet traveling between Saint Petersburg and Moscow on Wednesday, according to the news agency AFP. It has been learned that all 10 passengers on board, including three crew members, died in the crash. The country's aviation agency later confirmed that the Wagner chief was on board.
Twitter Post
Check out Musk's post on X here
Longer than I expected.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 23, 2023
Slight chance this is a psy op.
Details
Joe Biden reacts to Prigozhin's alleged death
United States (US) President Joe Biden also reacted to the alleged death of Prigozhin by stating that he is "not surprised" and claimed that not much occurs in Russia that Putin isn't behind. The White House confirmed that Biden was briefed about the plane crash, and he told reporters he didn't know for a fact what actually happened, reported the news agency Reuters.
More details
Biden had warned Prigozhin of danger
Previously, the US president had flagged concerns regarding Prigozhin's safety after his mutiny against Putin. During a news conference in July, Biden had jokingly urged the Wagner group supremo to be cautious regarding his food choices. "But all kidding aside, I don't think any of us know for sure what the future of Prigozhin is in Russia, the Hindustan Times quoted the US president as saying.
Insights
Putin, Prigozhin's deteriorating ties
It is worth noting that in the months leading up to his death, Prigozhin had criticized the military leadership of Russia for not caring for his men, with the businessman labeling senior generals as inept. Furthermore, tension was growing between Putin and Prigozhin over the ongoing war in Ukraine. It reached a tipping point in June when the Wagner chief decided to launch the infamous coup that lasted only a few hours.