Prigozhin plane crash latest: Bizarre rumours that Wagner boss 'faked his own death' spread as speculation grows over doomed jet

The jet possibly carrying Wagner chief Prigozhin that crashed had only recorded one incident in 20 years.

The Embraer executive jet's only recorded issue was also due to mistakes by the crew rather than mechanical failure, according to website International Aviation HQ.

The Legacy 600 entered service in 2002, according to International Aviation HQ, with almost 300 produced until production ceased in 2020.

The one recorded issue occurred in 2006 when it crashed mid-air into a Gol 737-800 on its way from the Embraer factory in Brazil to the United States, International Aviation HQ said.

Despite damages to the aircraft, the pilot landed the plane and there were no deaths or injuries.

Russian state media boasted that Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin, who led a brief coup against President Putin in June, is dead tonight following reports that a plane carrying him and nine other people crashed and burst into flames in Russia.

Although it has not been officially confirmed, a Telegram channel believed to be linked to the Wagner paramilitary boss has claimed he has died, adding he was killed by 'traitors' to Russia. 

A year ago the death of Prigozhin would have been almost unthinkable. The Wagner group was leading the invasion of Ukraine, its leader had the ear of President Putin and was rumoured to have significant influence in military decisions.

Amid reports Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin has died in a plane crash, could he be Putin's latest in a long line of victims? 

A cast of high profile figures have died in mysterious circumstances after they either criticised the Russian dictator, or criticised him in public. 

Speaking out or provoking the wrath of Russia’s president Vladimir Putin has proved to be a risky business over the years.

JUNE 23 Prigozhin announces a 'march for justice' to stop the 'evil being spread by the country's military leadership'. 

In a series of audio recordings posted on the Telegram messaging service, he announces his 25,000 soldiers will march on Moscow, adding: 'Wagner's commanders have come to a decision. This is not a military coup. It is a march for justice.' 

JUNE 24 Prigozhin says his fighters have captured the army headquarters in Rostov-on-Don 'without firing a single shot' and claims to have the support of locals. 

But that evening, he suddenly announces a withdrawal, saying on Telegram: 'Now is the moment when blood could be spilled. We are turning our convoy around.' He then disappears from public view for nearly three days.

JUNE 27 Prigozhin breaks his silence to deny his march was a coup, saying: 'We didn't have the goal of toppling the existing regime, which is lawfully elected, as we have said many times.' 

JULY 3 Prigozhin calls on the Russian public to stand up for Wagner paramilitaries as the group continues to recruit troops for the war in Ukraine. 

JULY 6 Selfies of Prigozhin in various wigs and disguises are published by Russia's security services to weaken his fearsome public image. 

JULY 14 A photo of Prigozhin sitting in his underpants on an unmade bed in a tent is leaked online. Data attached to the photo shows it was taken on June 12 – 11 days before he announced the armed rebellion. 

JULY 19 In a video filmed in a field, Prigozhin says: 'What's happening on the front is a disgrace that we don't need to take part in. So a decision has been taken that we will be here in Belarus for some time,' before 'heading off for Africa'. 

JULY 27 Prigozhin is photographed on the sidelines of the Russia-Africa summit in St Petersburg, shaking hands with Freddy Mapouka, chief of protocol for the Central African Republic's president. 

A Russia expert has urged caution about reporting the death of Yevgeny Prigozhin as people have 'changed their name to his' to help him avoid being found.

Keir Giles, a Russia expert with international affairs think-tank Chatham House, urged caution about reports of Prigozhin's death.

He said: 'Multiple individuals have changed their name to Yevgeny Prigozhin, as part of his efforts to obfuscate his travels'.

As of yet there has been no official confirmation that Wagner chief Yevgeny died when a plane crashed north of Moscow.

However, Prigozhin was listed as a passenger on a private jet which crashed on Wednesday evening north of Moscow with no survivors, the Russian authorities said, raising fears among his allies that he had been killed.

There was no immediate official confirmation that Prigozhin, Russia's most powerful mercenary and a self-declared enemy of the Russian Defence Ministry, was physically on board.

Russian mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin is 'dead', a Telegram channel affiliated with his Wagner mercenary group reported on Wednesday.

'The head of the Wagner Group, a Hero of Russia, a true patriot of his Motherland, Yevgeny Viktorovich Prigozhin died as a result of the actions of traitors to Russia,' a post in the Grey Zone channel said.

'But even in Hell, he will be the best! Glory to Russia!'

Prigozhin was listed as a passenger on a private jet which crashed on Wednesday evening north of Moscow with no survivors, the Russian authorities said.

President Joe Biden says 'not much' happens in Russia that 'Putin is not behind' after Wagner chief feared dead in plane crash outside Moscow.

Russian state media has boasted that Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin is dead after a plane – with his name on the passenger list - crashed in Russia tonight, two months after his failed coup attempt against Putin.

Video footage purportedly shows the aircraft falling out of the sky in the Bologovsky district in the Tver region, 60 miles north of Moscow. A burning wreckage, which appears to be of a plane, was later seen in a field, with unconfirmed images showing it completely ablaze.

The UK Government is monitoring the situation in Russia after reports of the death of the Wagner mercenary group's leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin, in a plane crash.

A Government spokesperson said: 'We are monitoring the situation closely.'

An image shows rescuers working at the site where a plane believed to be carrying Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin crashed today.

The photograph, which was taken and released by Russian Investigative Committee, shows rescuers working at the site of a plane crash near the village of Kuzhenkino, Tver region.

A private plane crashed in Moscow's Tver region and Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin was on the list of passengers, Russian agencies said

US President Joe Biden is 'not surprised' at the Prigozhin plane and has claimed there is not much that happens in Russia that 'Putin isn't behind'.

Biden said: 'I don't know for a fact what happened. But I'm not surprised...

'There is not much that happens in Russia that Putin is not behind, but I don't know enough to know the answer.'

A British lawmaker has claimed the speed at which the Russian government 'confirmed' Prigozhin's death 'should tell us everything we need to know'.

Alicia Kearns, chair of parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee, wrote on social media platform X: 'The speed at which the Russian Govt has confirmed Yevgeny Prigozhin was on a plane that crashed on a flight from Moscow to St Petersburg should tell us everything we need to know.

'Reports Russian Air Defence shot down the plane suggests Putin is sending a very loud message.'

No one should be 'surprised' about the crash of a plane believed to be carrying Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin, a US official has said.

U.S. national security spokesperson Adrienne Watson said: 'We have seen the reports.

'If confirmed, no one should be surprised.'

Kaja Kallas, the Prime Minister of Estonia, echoed these views, telling CNN: 'If true, it shows (Russian President Vladimir) Putin will eliminate opponents and that scares anyone who is thinking of expressing opinion different than his.#

Of the crash, Mykhailo Podolyak, Ukrainian presidential adviser, on social media platform X wrote:
'...It is obvious that Putin does not forgive anyone for his own bestial terror....

'The demonstrative elimination of Prigozhin and the Wagner command two months after the coup attempt is a signal from Putin to Russia's elites ahead of the 2024 elections. "Beware! Disloyalty equals death".'

This is horrifying moment a plane believed to be carrying Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin crashed and burst into flames in a field in rural Russia. 

Shocking footage shows the business jet, thought to be carrying seven passengers and three pilots, falling through the sky, with a trail of black smoke following behind it.

The plane then crashes into a field in the Bologovsky district in the Tver region, 60 miles north of Moscow, bursting into a ball of flames.

Sources close to Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin have said that while the aircraft belonged to him, he usually flew on another aircraft.

A second aircraft, also supposedly with links to Prigozhin, was detected 'zig-zagging' over Moscow in the aftermath of the crash, fuelling speculation that the Wagner boss may not have been onboard after all.

Footage of Vladimir Putin appearing to check the time on the wrong wrist during a meeting has emerged today amid reports that Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin is feared dead.

Footage shows the Russian President glancing at his left arm during yesterday's meeting of the Russian Council for Strategic Development and National Projects.

The dictator looks perplexed not to find the watch there, as he has always worn his timepieces on his right wrist. 

It comes as a private plane with Prigozhin's name on the passenger list crashed in Russia tonight, two months after his failed coup attempt against Putin.

Vladimir Putin has been spotted enjoying a night out at a concert celebrating the Soviets World War two victory at the Battle of Kursk - amid reports that Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin is dead.

The Russian president was seen making a speech at the event in front of crowds of people, according to unconfirmed live photos and videos.

It comes less than an hour after video footage showed an aircraft falling out of the sky in Bologovsky, in the Tver region of Russia, which is about 60 miles north of Moscow.

Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin is feared dead tonight following reports that a plane carrying him and nine other people crashed and burst into flames in Russia. 

Shocking video footage has shown the aircraft falling from the sky in the Bologovsky district in the Tver region, with unconfirmed images showing what appears to be a plane covered in a blaze.

The reported death comes just two months after Prigozhin's failed coup attempt against Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Eight bodies were found at the crash site of a private jet on which Russian mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin was listed as a passenger, Russian state news agency RIA have reported.

According to RIA, search and rescue operations at the crash site are continuing.

There was no confirmation that Prigozhin was on board the plane that crashed north of Moscow, although Russia's aviation agency said he was on the passenger list.

Earlier Russia's emergency situations ministry said in a statement that 10 people had been on board the private Embraer Legacy aircraft, travelling from Moscow to St. Petersburg.

Russia's state news agency Tass quoted emergency officials as saying that the plane carried three pilots and seven passengers.

The authorities said they were investigating the crash, which happened in the Tver region more than 60 miles north of Moscow.

Flight tracking data has revealed that a private jet - registered to Wagner and that Prigozhin used - took off on Wednesday evening but its transponder signal disappeared minutes later.

The signal is said to have been lost in a rural region where there are no nearby airfields where the jet could have landed safely. 

Video footage has shown the business jet falling from the sky in the Bologovsky district in the Tver region. The burning wreckage was later seen in a field, and images on social media purport to show the plan engulfed in flames.

Russian authorities have said a business jet crash in Russia killed 10 people, and mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin was on the passenger list.

Wagner group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin is feared dead tonight, following reports that he was on a fatal plane crash that has killed ten in Russia.

The plane was seen in a video falling out of the sky in the Bologovsky district in the Tver region. The burning wreckage was later seen in a field, and images on social media purport to show the plan engulfed in flames.

It was initially unknown if Wagner chief Prigozhin - known as Putin's chef and with longstanding links to the Kremlin dictator - was on board, but it has since been reported that the passenger list included his name.

It comes two months after his failed coup attempt against Russian President Vladimir Putin.