‘Absolute lie’: Russia denies involvement in Wagner chief Prigozhin’s loss of life

The Kremlin stated that Western solutions Russian mercenary boss Yevgeny Prigozhin had been killed on its orders had been an “absolute lie” whereas declining to definitively verify his loss of life, citing the necessity to look forward to take a look at outcomes.

Russia’s aviation authority has stated that Prigozhin, head of the Wagner mercenary group, was on board a non-public jet which crashed on Wednesday night northwest of Moscow with no survivors.

President Vladimir Putin despatched his condolences to the households of these killed within the crash on Thursday and spoke of Prigozhin previously tense, breaking his silence after the incident which occurred precisely two months to the day after Prigozhin led a failed mutiny towards military chiefs.

Putin cited “preliminary information” as indicating that Prigozhin and his high associates within the Wagner mercenary group had all been killed and, whereas praising Prigozhin, stated he had additionally made some “serious mistakes.”

Western politicians and commentators have instructed, with out presenting proof, that Putin ordered Prigozhin to be killed to be able to punish him for launching the June 23-34 mutiny towards the military’s management which additionally represented the largest problem to Putin’s personal rule since he got here to energy in 1999.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated the accusation and plenty of others prefer it had been false.

“There is now a great deal of speculation surrounding this plane crash and the tragic deaths of the plane’s passengers, including Yevgeny Prigozhin. Of course, in the West, all this speculation is presented from a well-known angle,” Peskov informed reporters.

“All of this is an absolute lie, and here, when covering this issue, it is necessary to base yourself on facts. There are not many facts yet. They need to be established in the course of investigative actions,” he stated.

Earlier on Friday, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov had scolded US President Joe Biden for expressing his lack of shock that Prigozhin had been killed in a aircraft crash, accusing Biden of disregarding diplomatic norms.

‘WAIT FOR TEST RESULTS’

Russian investigators have opened a probe into what occurred, however haven’t but stated what they think triggered the aircraft to out of the blue fall from the sky northwest of Moscow.

Nor have they formally confirmed the identities of the ten our bodies recovered from the wreckage.

Asked if the Kremlin had obtained official affirmation of Prigozhin’s loss of life, Peskov stated: “If you listened carefully to the Russian president’s statement, he said that all the necessary tests, including genetic tests, will now be carried out. The official results – as soon as they are ready to be published, will be published.”

Peskov, who stated Putin had not met Prigozhin just lately, additionally stated it was unclear how lengthy the exams and investigative work would take.

It was subsequently not possible to start out speaking about whether or not Putin would attend Prigozhin’s funeral, Peskov stated in reply to a query on the topic.

“There are no dates for the funeral yet, it is impossible to talk about it at all. The only thing I can say is that the president has a rather busy schedule at the moment.”

Nigel Gould-Davies, a former British ambassador to Belarus who’s now a senior fellow on the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), stated the funeral could be vital.

“If Putin wishes to emphasise that Prigozhin died as a traitor, he will ignore it,” stated Gould-Davies.

“(While) Prigozhin’s supporters may use it as an opportunity to eulogise him and his critique of the Kremlin’s conduct of the war — and could strengthen the hostility of a core of Wagner loyalists towards the Kremlin,” he stated.

British army intelligence stated on Friday there was not but definitive proof that Prigozhin had been onboard however that it was “highly likely” he was lifeless.

The Pentagon has stated its personal preliminary evaluation is that Prigozhin was killed.

Russia’s Baza information outlet, which has good sources amongst regulation enforcement companies, has reported that investigators are specializing in a concept that one or two bombs could have been planted on board the aircraft.

Asked about the way forward for the Wagner Group, which has a sequence of profitable contracts throughout Africa and a contingent in Belarus coaching the military there however now seems leaderless, Kremlin spokesman Peskov was concise.

“I can’t tell you anything now, I don’t know,” he stated.

Edited By:

Manisha Pandey

Published On:

Aug 26, 2023