By Ayo Yusuf
Controversial boss of the notorious Russian mercenary group, Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, has been involved in a plane crash, Russian news agencies have said.
No fewer than 10 people were said to have died in the crash and although the mercenary chief was on the passenger list, it was not immediately clear if he was also among the dead.
Russian state-run news agencies on Wednesday said that Yevgeny Prigozhin, whose Wagner group led a mutiny against Russia’s army in June, was on the list of passengers of a plane that crashed in the Tver Region.
Russia’s aviation agency Rosaviatsia, TASS news agency, RIA Novosti and Interfax are among the many news agencies issuing similar reports.
Barely three days ago on Monday, Mr Prigozhin said in a video recorded message that his group was making Africa “freer” and suggested he was presently on the continent.
Mr. Prigozhin, a former Kremlin ally whose group rebelled against Russia’s military leadership in June, has made few public appearances since the mutiny.
His group maintains a strong military presence in Africa, where it has partnered with several nations, including Mali and the Central African Republic. It has been suggested that the group is behind the recent coup in Niger which toppled the government of Mohamed Bazoum.
In the latest video posted by his group, Prigozhin said, “We are working. The temperature is above 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit). Just how we like it.”
The video shows Mr. Prigozhin holding an assault rifle, before panning around to reveal military vehicles parked on a large, desert-like plain.
“The Wagner Group is conducting reconnaissance and search activities. Making Russia even greater on every continent — and Africa even freer,” Prigozhin said.
Wagner’s apparent activities in Africa come as tensions brew in Niger, which was rocked by a coup in July that saw its government deposed and a military junta installed.
A Russian organisation affiliated with Wagner shared a message apparently from Prigozhin, who said the events in Niger were part of the nation’s fight against “colonisers”.
