In this image taken from video released by the Razgruzka_Vagnera telegram channel on Monday, Aug. 21, 2023, Yevgeny Prigozhin, the owner of the Wagner Group military company speaks to a camera at an unknown location.  (Razgruzka_Vagnera telegram channel via AP)

Yevgeny Prigozhin, the founder of Russia’s Wagner Group, a private military organization, and a figure who had recently posed a challenge to Vladimir Putin’s rule, has been reported to be involved in a plane crash near Moscow that tragically claimed the lives of 10 individuals. The incident took place as a business jet traveling from Moscow to St. Petersburg crashed in the Tver region.

State media, including TASS news agency, have reported on Prigozhin’s involvement in the plane crash. He was listed among the passengers on the aircraft according to the Federal Air Transport Agency. An investigation into the crash of the Embraer aircraft has been initiated.

At this moment, it remains unclear whether Yevgeny Prigozhin is among the confirmed 10 individuals who lost their lives in the crash. The White House National Security Council spokesperson, Adrienne Watson, responded to the situation, highlighting the complex geopolitical context involving the Wagner Group. The presence of private military organizations like the Wagner Group has been linked to the conflict in Ukraine and has implications that extend beyond Russian borders.

In the wake of the crash, President Vladimir Putin made a public appearance at a concert in Russia. The circumstances surrounding the crash and its potential implications for both domestic and international affairs are likely to be subjects of ongoing investigation and analysis.

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