Yevgeny Prigozhin and his right-hand man Dmitry Utkin murdered after meeting officials of Russian defense ministry
By Daily Tab24. Updated: 9:25 am. Aug 24, 2023.
The announcement of the death of Prigozhin brings an end to the story of the man that once dared the Russian strongman and walked free afterwards. No matter how you interpret the situation of his death, he went the same direction as those that dared Putin. Putin knows the murder of Prigozhin was a priority because his influence had grown profoundly and beyond his control.
The 62 years old warlord was expected to die, because that is the story of those or anyone that dares Putin. He crossed his boundaries when he rolled tanks against Putin, reportedly making the Russian strong man flee Moscow. Yevgeny Prigozhin will be remembered as the man that attempted coup against Putin and lived – walked free for two months before being murdered.
The surprise was not the death of Yevgeny Prigozhin, but the fact that after his failed rebellion against Putin, he still walked free without charges or exile. Putin knew his worth or influence, and waited for the right situation, where accident can be attributed to the death of the warlord.
Quickly, Russian authorities announced the death of Prigozhin, whom they killed alongside other nine people in a plane crash. A different report said the plane was shot down by Russian military. When the private jet crashed north of Moscow, Russian agencies already knew he was a listed passenger, and announced the successful deletion of the failed mutineer.
“A private Embraer Legacy 600 aircraft travelling from Moscow to Saint Petersburg crashed” Russian air agency announced. Prigozhin with his right-hand man and eight others, including three crew members onboard the jet. They all died, as the private jet crashed in Moscow. Prigozhin never envisaged he would go that way; he was relaxed, believing Putin understood he didn’t attempt rebellion against him but protested against incompetent commanders.
After the dead bodies of eight people were recovered; mission accomplished and a “specially created commission” will investigate the crash, according to Russian air transport agency. The Telegram channel controlled by Prigozhin confirmed his death. His private military company immediately restricted movements, knowing more killings to purge the Warlord’s cartel might likely follow. Another flight linked to Prigozhin turned back while already airborne.
The Wagner boss was seen as the most dangerous man after Putin, because of the exploits of his private army. The Russian invasion of Ukraine last year’s February gave the Wagner boss fame and he built on it to triumph locally and internationally. His exploits in the city of Bakhmut will never be forgotten.
But his men were killed in a Russian airstrike, and he accused Putin appointed Russian Generals of complicity in the loss of his soldiers. He protested on the battlefield but was ignored, forcing him to embark on the craziest journey of his life – he rolled his tanks on the streets and advanced to Moscow. His mission was to get rid of the Generals he considered incompetent, a direct assault on Putin.
Putin didn’t take it lightly, and called it treason, while reminding Prigozhin that Russia cannot afford uprising in a period of war. He further vowed to deal with the rebels, but offered escape route for them, if they turned back. Prigozhin’s fighters took control of Rostov-on-Don, a city in the South and shut down Putin’s helicopters that attempted to attack them.
Prigozhin’s military advance was later halted as he turned back after plea and a sweetheart deal that would allow the Wagner boss and his fighters to leave for Belarus without any criminal proceedings against them. It yielded but Prigozhin in show of unmatched influence stayed back in Russia, after Belarus President, in an effort to save the face of Putin announced that the Wagner boss was in Belarus, while he was actually in St Petersburgh.
Prigozhin would later come to Belarus and formerly welcomed his fighters before heading back to Russian, in an act that intimidated Putin. An ex-convict, Prigozhin was capable of anything and his influence locally and internationally meant Putin must dare with caution. Putin was afraid, as his image was badly damaged by the mutiny attempt.
