Authorities in Russia have confirmed that a private jet crashed near Moscow with no survivors, and high-profile Russian mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin was listed as a passenger. However, it has not yet been confirmed if Prigozhin was physically on board the aircraft.
The crash, which occurred north of Moscow, is currently under investigation by Russia’s aviation agency, Rosaviatsia. The passenger list reportedly includes the name and surname of Yevgeny Prigozhin, according to state news agency TASS.
The aircraft, an Embraer plane, was traveling from Moscow to St Petersburg when it crashed near the village of Kuzhenkino in the Tver Region. The statement from Russia’s emergency situations ministry stated that there were 10 people on board, including three crew members, and preliminary information suggests that there were no survivors.
Yevgeny Prigozhin, 62, is known for leading a mutiny against top Russian military officials in June. President Vladimir Putin intervened to prevent the situation from escalating into a civil war, resulting in Prigozhin relocating to Belarus. Despite this arrangement, Prigozhin continued to move freely within Russia.
Reports speculate that Dmitry Utkin, Prigozhin’s right-hand man, was also on board the crashed aircraft. Unconfirmed sources suggest that Prigozhin and his associates had attended a meeting with Russian Defense Ministry officials prior to the incident. However, there has been no official comment from the defense ministry or the Kremlin to verify these claims.
Shortly after the crash, another private jet linked to Prigozhin, heading toward St Petersburg, reversed course and returned to Moscow. Flight tracking data showed this diversion, and the second jet safely landed later.
Video footage circulating on social media shows the plane falling from the sky and the aftermath of the crash with the burning wreckage. At least one body was visible at the crash site.