Image An informal memorial for Wagner leader Yevgeny V. Prigozhin next to the former ‘PMC Wagner Centre’ in St. Petersburg, Russia.
However, the Russian authorities had said they were awaiting the results of an investigation before confirming the identities of those on board.
President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia on Thursday, in his first comments on the crash, spoke obliquely of Mr. Prigozhin’s death, referring to him in the past tense, but did not confirm it.
“He made some serious mistakes in life, but he also achieved necessary results,” Mr. Putin said.
Some European leaders, many Western news outlets and people close to Mr. Prigozhin’s Wagner paramilitary force have speculated that Mr. Putin had Mr. Prigozhin killed in retaliation for his brief mutiny in June — suggestions the Kremlin on Friday dismissed as an “absolute lie.”Show more
Persons:
Wagner, Yevgeny V, Prigozhin, Anton Matrosov, Svetlana Petrenko, Vladimir V, Putin, Prigozhin’s, ” Mr, Prigozhin’s Wagner, Mr
Organizations:
PMC Wagner
Locations:
St . Petersburg, Russia