Confusion As New Video Emerges Claiming Wagner Chief Is Alive

Related stories

BREAKING! Trump Blocks Harvard University’s International Students Enrollment

By Abiola Olawale The administration of United States President Donald...

Minority Leader Kicks As Another LP Legislator Dumps Party For APC

By Kolawole Ojebisi The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), on...

Natasha vs Akpabio:FG Slams Criminal Charges Against Akpoti-Uduaghan

Akpabio, Yahaya Bello To Testify Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing...

By Ayo Yusuf

The internet has been heating up over claims in a new video that Wagner mercenary group chief, Yevgeny Prigozhin is alive and well.

Mr. Prigozhin was among 10 people believed to have died when a Brazilian-made Embraer jet crashed north of Moscow last week.

Authorities said his name was on the flight’s manifest and he was buried in a private ceremony after DNA tests reportedly confirmed that his body was among those found in the wreckage of the plane.

However, immediately after the announcement of his death, reports began to filter in that the controversial Wagner boss wasn’t in the ill fated plane after all.

A Russian political analyst, Dr Valery Solovey was first to claim that Mr. Prigozhin was using a body double and that was the person in the crash not the infamous mercenary leader who led a rebel group into Russia recently in a presumed coup attempt.

Mr. Solovey said, Prigozhin was “alive, well, and free” in an unnamed country, even as Russia was staging his funeral which Vladimir Putin refused to attend.

“Prigozhin himself was not on board. His double was flying instead of him. By the way, Vladimir Putin is perfectly aware of that. If you believe official statements of the Russian authorities, then what can I say…?”said Dr Solovey at the time.

Now Prigozhin has been seen in a new video “dismissing reports of his elimination”.

According to several media reports on Thursday, the warlord insisted that

“Everything is fine” in the video filmed in Africa during “the second half of August.”
In the short clip, released by a Telegram channel linked to the Wagner Group, Prigozhin is heard talking about his well-being and possible threats to his security. He is seen dressed in camouflage clothing and hat, as well as a watch on his right hand.

No one could as yet verify the location or the date of the video, which was filmed in a moving vehicle. However, his clothing matches with an appearance he made in a video released earlier.
He was buried in Porokhovskoye Kladbishche, St Petersburg this week Tuesday.

In the short video, posted on Wagner’s Grey Zone Telegram channel, he said, “For those talking about whether I’m alive or not, how I’m doing, now it’s the weekend, the second half of August 2023, I’m in Africa.
“For those who like to discuss my elimination, private life, income or other things – basically I’m fine.”

The clip has sparked a huge discussion on X (formerly Twitter), where it has been shared by Anton Gerashchenko, advisor to the minister of internal affairs of Ukraine.
The news about Prigozhin’s death came two months after he staged a mutiny- though short-lived. He was laid to rest in a secret ceremony in his native Saint Petersburg.

The Kremlin rejected as an “absolute lie” the suggestion that President Vladimir Putin had Prigozhin killed in revenge, but said the investigation into the crash is examining the possibility of foul play.
Western analysts believe the true cause may never be known because of Russia’s opaque and often politicized investigations system.

The U.S. intelligence community is examining the possibility that an explosion brought down the plane, with many among Russia’s elite convinced that Prigozhin’s death was an assassination ordered by the Kremlin.

On Tuesday, Prigozhin’s deputy, Dmitry Utkin, 53, whose call-sign “Wagner” gave the private army its name, was buried in Mytishchi, on the outskirts of the capital, in a ceremony cordoned off by Russian military police .

After the cemetery was opened several hours later, a Reuters journalist saw an engraved black headstone, a wooden Russian Orthodox cross and at least half a dozen large formal wreaths surrounding the grave.

Some, in red, yellow and black, bore Wagner’s official logo, while a flag placed nearby bore a leering death’s head symbol that its fighters have also used.

A report said police and members of the Rosgvardia national guard had gone to pay their respects, along with a busload of members of the far-right Rusich militia affiliated with Wagner.

The New Diplomat
The New Diplomathttps://newdiplomatng.com/
At The New Diplomat, we stand for ethical journalism, press freedom, accountable Republic, and gender equity. That is why at The New Diplomat, we are committed to speaking truth to power, fostering a robust community of responsible journalism, and using high-quality polls, data, and surveys to engage the public with compelling narratives about political, business, socio-economic, environmental, and situational dynamics in Nigeria, Africa, and globally.

Subscribe

- Never miss a story with notifications

- Gain full access to our premium content

- Browse free from up to 5 devices at once

[tds_leads input_placeholder="Your email address" btn_horiz_align="content-horiz-center" pp_msg="SSd2ZSUyMHJlYWQlMjBhbmQlMjBhY2NlcHQlMjB0aGUlMjAlM0NhJTIwaHJlZiUzRCUyMiUyMyUyMiUzRVByaXZhY3klMjBQb2xpY3klM0MlMkZhJTNFLg==" pp_checkbox="yes" tdc_css="eyJhbGwiOnsibWFyZ2luLXRvcCI6IjMwIiwibWFyZ2luLWJvdHRvbSI6IjQwIiwiZGlzcGxheSI6IiJ9LCJwb3J0cmFpdCI6eyJtYXJnaW4tdG9wIjoiMTUiLCJtYXJnaW4tYm90dG9tIjoiMjUiLCJkaXNwbGF5IjoiIn0sInBvcnRyYWl0X21heF93aWR0aCI6MTAxOCwicG9ydHJhaXRfbWluX3dpZHRoIjo3NjgsImxhbmRzY2FwZSI6eyJtYXJnaW4tdG9wIjoiMjAiLCJtYXJnaW4tYm90dG9tIjoiMzAiLCJkaXNwbGF5IjoiIn0sImxhbmRzY2FwZV9tYXhfd2lkdGgiOjExNDAsImxhbmRzY2FwZV9taW5fd2lkdGgiOjEwMTksInBob25lIjp7Im1hcmdpbi10b3AiOiIyMCIsImRpc3BsYXkiOiIifSwicGhvbmVfbWF4X3dpZHRoIjo3Njd9" display="column" gap="eyJhbGwiOiIyMCIsInBvcnRyYWl0IjoiMTAiLCJsYW5kc2NhcGUiOiIxNSJ9" f_msg_font_family="downtown-sans-serif-font_global" f_input_font_family="downtown-sans-serif-font_global" f_btn_font_family="downtown-sans-serif-font_global" f_pp_font_family="downtown-serif-font_global" f_pp_font_size="eyJhbGwiOiIxNSIsInBvcnRyYWl0IjoiMTEifQ==" f_btn_font_weight="700" f_btn_font_size="eyJhbGwiOiIxMyIsInBvcnRyYWl0IjoiMTEifQ==" f_btn_font_transform="uppercase" btn_text="Unlock All" btn_bg="#000000" btn_padd="eyJhbGwiOiIxOCIsImxhbmRzY2FwZSI6IjE0IiwicG9ydHJhaXQiOiIxNCJ9" input_padd="eyJhbGwiOiIxNSIsImxhbmRzY2FwZSI6IjEyIiwicG9ydHJhaXQiOiIxMCJ9" pp_check_color_a="#000000" f_pp_font_weight="600" pp_check_square="#000000" msg_composer="" pp_check_color="rgba(0,0,0,0.56)" msg_succ_radius="0" msg_err_radius="0" input_border="1" f_unsub_font_family="downtown-sans-serif-font_global" f_msg_font_size="eyJhbGwiOiIxMyIsInBvcnRyYWl0IjoiMTIifQ==" f_input_font_size="eyJhbGwiOiIxNCIsInBvcnRyYWl0IjoiMTIifQ==" f_input_font_weight="500" f_msg_font_weight="500" f_unsub_font_weight="500"]

Latest stories

Latest News
BREAKING! Trump Blocks Harvard University's International Students EnrollmentUzodinma, Sanwo-Olu, Zulum, Other APC Governors Endorse Tinubu as 2027 Presidential FlagbearerMinority Leader Kicks As Another LP Legislator Dumps Party For APCTinubu Swears-In Kida, Ojulari, Others As NNPCL Board Members Seven Weeks After AppointmentNatasha vs Akpabio:FG Slams Criminal Charges Against Akpoti-UduaghanRelief as Dangote Refinery Slashes Petrol Prices by N15Côte d'Ivoire's Presidency Quashes Coup Speculation, Says Ouattara Still in ControlBeyond Ethnic Narratives: Building a Unified Nigeria Through Meritocracy and InnovationCoup rumours in Ivory Coast as president’s whereabouts remain unknownSeyi Makinde: Hungry Nigerians, Not Defectors, 'll Determine 2027 Election ResultsWhy Coalition Hasn't Adopted ADC As Political Party, ex-NGF DG, Lukman2027: Atiku, Peter Obi, El-Rufai, Others Didn't Adopt ADC As Coalition Platform, Says Salihu LukmanFresh Fears as Nigeria’s External Debt Payments Skyrocket By 50%Tinubu Transmits N1.481 Trillion 2025 Rivers State Budget to National AssemblyN225 billion fine: I Wasn't in Rome To Meet Tinubu Over Fidelity Bank -- Peter Obi
X whatsapp