Wagner boss, who rebelled against Putin, killed in plane crash
What's the story
Yevgeny Prigozhin, the leader of the Wagner mercenary group, which led an unsuccessful coup against Russian President Vladimir Putin has reportedly been killed in a plane crash. Nine other people on board the flight are also dead. The plane was flying from Moscow to St. Petersburg. Earlier, a Wagner-linked Telegram channel reported that the jet was shot down by air defenses in Tver region.
Details
Russian aviation agency confirmed the news
"The plane that crashed in the Tver Region listed Yevgeny Prigozhin among its passengers, Rosaviatsia (Russia's aviation agency) said," TASS news agency reported.
Profile
Who was Prigozhin?
Born on June 1, 1961, Prigozhin was one of Russia's richest and most influential men. Prior to his rise as a businessman, he reportedly spent a decade in prison. By 1995 though, he established a network of restaurants and catering companies. And, by the time Vladimir Putin came to power in 2001, Prigozhin was the caterer of choice for Russia's rich and powerful.
Details
Founded Wagner Group in 2014 when Russia invaded Crimea
Prigozhin founded the Wagner Group in 2014, allegedly after directions from Putin and its forces were first deployed during Russia's invasion of Crimea. It is alleged that the private army previously carried out brutal operations in Syria, Libya, Mali, and the Central African Republic. Last year, after years of speculation, Prigozhin admitted to secretly founding and leading a mercenary group during the Russia-Ukraine crisis.
Reason
From being Putin loyalist to infamous rebel
Over the past few months though, Prigozhin had criticized Russia's military leadership for not caring about his troops. Tension had been growing between them over how the war was being fought. It reached a tipping point for him in June, that's when he decided to get even with Putin and launched the infamous coup. It was unsuccessful and halted in just a few hours.