Putin expressed condolences in connection with the crash of Prigozhin’s plane

Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed his condolences in connection with the crash of the business jet Embraer-135 (EBM-135BJ), on board of which was the founder of Wagner PMC Yevgeny Prigozhin and employees of the Wagner group. Putin said this at a meeting with the acting head of the DPR Denis Pushilin.

“As for this aviation accident, first of all I want to express my sincere condolences to the families of all the victims. It is always a tragedy,” he said.

Putin confirmed that, according to preliminary data, employees of the Wagner PMC were on board the plane. “These are people who have made a significant contribution to our common cause of fighting the neo-Nazi regime in Ukraine. We remember it, we know it and we will not forget it,” the President said.

Speaking about Prigozhin, Putin noted that he had known him since the early 1990s and called him a talented person. “He was a man of complex fate. And he made serious mistakes in his life. And he achieved the results he needed – both for himself, and when I asked him about it for a common cause, as in these last months. He was a talented person, a talented businessman,” Putin added.

According to the head of state, Prigozhin returned from Africa on August 23 and held several meetings with officials. With what exactly – Putin did not specify.

The President also stressed that a preliminary investigation into the incident has already begun. “It [расследование] will be carried out in full and brought to an end. There is no doubt here. Let’s see what the investigators say in the near future,” Putin concluded.

On August 23, the business jet Embraer-135 (EBM-135BJ) crashed in the Tver region near the village of Kuzhenkino. By 20:00 Moscow time, the plane crash was confirmed by the Russian Emergencies Ministry. The ministry clarified that the plane followed the route Moscow – St. Petersburg, there were 10 people on board – seven passengers and three crew members. According to preliminary information, they all died.

By 23:00 Moscow time Rosaviatsiya published a list of passengers on board the business jet. Among them was Prigozhin, as well as his colleague and one of the leaders of Wagner, Dmitry Utkin. The agency emphasized that the flight was carried out on the basis of a permit for the use of airspace, issued in the prescribed manner.

On the fact of the crash, the Investigative Committee (IC) of Russia opened a criminal case under Art. 263 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (violation of the rules of traffic safety and operation of air transport).