Russian President Vladimir Putin praised the “contribution” to the offensive in Ukraine by Wagner’s leader Yevgeny Prigozhin on Thursday, August 24, despite his “mistakes.”
“He was a man with a complex destiny, who made serious mistakes in his life, but who achieved the necessary results,” said Vladimir Putin during a televised meeting, offering his “sincere condolences” to the crash victims’ families.
“These are individuals who made a significant contribution to our joint effort in Ukraine, where Russia has been conducting a military offensive since February 2022,” continued Mr. Putin. Referring to the investigation into the causes of the crash initiated by Russian authorities, the president promised to “conduct it in its entirety and reach a conclusion.” “We will see what the investigators will say in the near future. The expertise is ongoing, both technical and genetic. It will take some time,” Vladimir Putin added.
Speculation about the crash’s origin Russian authorities have not yet put forward any leads to explain the crash of the private jet carrying, according to Russian civil aviation, Mr. Prigozhin, his right-hand man Dmitry Outkin, and other Wagner officials on Wednesday evening. The accident, which fueled speculation about the assassination of someone who had become an enemy of the Kremlin after his failed rebellion in June, killed all 10 occupants of the aircraft, according to authorities.
Yevgeny Prigozhin, whom Putin said he has known since the early 1990s, had been labeled a “traitor” by the Russian president during his aborted mutiny in June. According to Putin, the Wagner leader had “returned from Africa” on the day of the crash, Wednesday.
