Prigozhin’s private jet crashes in Russia

A plane of Yevgeny Prigozhin, who is believed to be the head of the so-called Wagner PMC, crashed in Russia.

The Russian rescue service said that an Embraer Legacy private jet had crashed in the Tver region, near the village of Kuzhenkino.

The jet (registered RA-02795), was flying from Moscow to St. Petersburg.

“There were 10 people on board, including 3 crew members. According to preliminary information, all those on board died,” the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations stated.

The fact Yevgeny Prigozhin owned the Embraer Legacy jet (registered RA-02795) was known prior the accident.

According to Belarusian analysts from Belaruski Gayun, who tracked Wagner PMC aircraft in Belarus, RA-02878 was Yevgeny Prigozhin’s main aircraft.

Yevgeny Prigozhin was listed as a passenger on a plane, confirmed the Russian Federal Agency for Air Transport.

“Yevgeny Prigozhin was listed among passengers on board of a plane that crashed in the Tver region, the Federal Air Transport Agency (Rosaviatsia) reports. An investigation into the crash of the Embraer jet has been launched, the agency said,” the Russian news agency TASS reported.

Some Russian media also suggested that the plane of the head of the so-called Wagner PMC was shot down by Russian air defense.

“Before the plane fell, local residents heard two bursts of specific anti-aircraft fire and that can be confirmed by one of the videos featuring the inversion traces in the sky, as well as the words of direct eyewitnesses,” Russian sources say.

A few days earlier, Yevgeny Prigozhin had recorded a video allegedly from Africa.

The leader of the Wagner PMC called for volunteers to join the ranks of the Wagner PMC to “defend the freedom of Africa.” In July 2023, the Russian Ministry of Defense disarmed units from the so-called Wagner PMC.