On Thursday, the 24th of August, some 24 hours after Wagner leader’s private jet crashed, Vladimir Putin broke his silence on the death of Yevgeny Prigozhin, offering his condolences to the families of those on board of the plane and saying the leader was a “talented man”, reports BBC.
As BNN reported, the Kremlin remained silent after the incident. Putin did not say a word about what much of the world was talking about. However, on the evening of Thursday, the 24th of August, the situation changed.
During a broadcast at his Kremlin residence, Putin conveyed condolences to victims’ families and indicated that based on the preliminary information Wagner employees were on the plane.
He highlighted their role in countering the “neo-Nazi regime” in Ukraine, aligning with the Kremlin’s narrative.
Regarding Prigozhin, Putin referred to their long history, describing him as a complex figure who made mistakes, but nevertheless achieved results for his own and the common good.
Vladimir Putin sends ‘sincere condolences’ and says Yevgeny Prigozhin ‘made serious mistakes in his life’ in first comments addressing the plane crash that reportedly killed Prigozhin and nine others.
Read more: https://t.co/2OjVL1mbjJ pic.twitter.com/46JwQN7caN
— Sky News (@SkyNews) August 24, 2023
While not explicitly confirming Prigozhin’s death, Putin stated an investigation would clarify circumstances.
As reported by BNN, on Wednesday, the 23rd of August, a plane carrying Yevgeny Prigozhin, leader of the mercenary group Wagner, crashed.
Read also: Prigozhin and Utkin’s bodies identified at the morgue