Yevgeny Prigozhin, the chief of Wagner, has been confirmed dead after genetic analysis of bodies found in Wednesday’s plane crash, according to Russian officials. The Investigative Committee (SK) stated that the identities of all 10 victims had been established and corresponded to those on the flight’s passenger list.  

 

“Molecular-genetic testing has been completed. According to its results, the identities of all 10 deceased have been established, and they correspond to the list published in the flight manifest.”. It read in a statement released by the committee

 

Prigozhin’s private jet crashed northwest of Moscow on August 25th, killing all aboard. However, the Kremlin has denied speculation that it was responsible for the crash, describing it as an “absolute lie”

 

Victims include several senior figures in Wagner. Among them were Dmitry Utkin, who managed Wagner’s military operations, Valery Chekalov, Sergei Propustin, Yevgeny Makaryan, Alexander Totmin, and Nikolay Matuseyev. Others are pilot Alexei Levshin co-pilot Rustam Karimov, and a flight attendant, Kristina Raspopova.

 

The crash came two months after Prigozhin led a Wagner mutiny against the Russian armed forces, seizing the southern city of Rostov and threatening to march on Moscow. The standoff was defused after a deal was reached, leading to Prigozhin and Wagner fighters relocating to Belarus.