Vladimir Putin commented on the death of Yevgeny Prigozhin

Russian President Vladimir Putin commented on the death of the head of Wagner PMC Yevgeny Prigozhin. He expressed condolences in connection with the death of people who were on board the plane that crashed in the Tver region on August 23. “As for this aviation accident, first of all I want to express my sincere condolences to the families of all the victims. It’s always a tragedy. And indeed, if they were there – and the primary data say that Wagner employees were also there, I would like to note that these are people who made a significant contribution to the fight against the neo-Nazi regime in Ukraine, ”Putin said in a conversation with the acting head DPR by Denis Pushilin. The video was posted on social networks by VGTRK correspondent Pavel Zarubin.

Pushilin, at a meeting with Putin, raised the topic of the plane crash, saying that “for us this is a painful topic” and many perceived it with empathy. After expressing his condolences, Putin also spoke about Yevgeny Prigogine. “I have known Prigogine for a very long time, since the early 1990s. He was a man of difficult fate, and he made serious mistakes in life, and he achieved the results needed for himself, and – when I asked him about it – for the common cause, as in these last months, ”said the president. Putin called Prigozhin “a talented person, a talented businessman.” “He worked not only in our country, and he worked with results, in Africa, in particular. He was engaged in oil, gas, precious metals and stones there. He only yesterday, as far as I know, returned from Africa. I met with some officials here,” Putin said.

According to the president, Alexander Bastrykin, chairman of the Investigative Committee, reported to him in the morning. “They have already begun a preliminary investigation of this incident and it 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 said.

On the evening of August 23, a business jet crashed in the Tver region near the village of Kuzhenkino. Rosaviatsia reported that ten people were on board, including Yevgeny Prigozhin and Wagner PMC commander Dmitry Utkin. Almost immediately, the Main Investigation Department of the ICR 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). The department reported that an investigation team had left for the scene, the necessary forensic examinations would be appointed and actions taken to establish the causes of the disaster.