Prigozhin's death may have destabilising effect on Wagner – UK Defence Intelligence
UK Defence Intelligence believes that the death of the Wagner Group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin will have a deeply destabilising effect on the mercenaries.
Source: UK Defence Intelligence update on 25 August, as reported by European Pravda
Details: On 23 August 2023, exactly two months after the mutiny by the Wagner Group, an Embraer business jet affiliated with the Wagner PMC crashed near Tver, between Moscow and St. Petersburg. The Russian authorities claim that 10 people on board the aircraft died, including Prigozhin, Wagner’s financier.
Quote: "There is not yet definitive proof that Prigozhin was onboard and he is known to exercise exceptional security measures. However, it is highly likely that he is indeed dead.
The demise of Prigozhin would almost certainly have a deeply destabilising effect on the Wagner Group."
More details: Prigozhin’s personal qualities – hyperactivity, exceptional daring, results-oriented and extreme brutality – permeated Wagner, UK Defence Intelligence states and adds that it is unlikely that there would be a successor who could match these qualities.
Quote: "Wagner’s leadership vacuum would be compounded by the reports that founder and field commander Dimitry Utkin and logistics chief Valery Chekalov also died."
Background:
- The United States does not yet have comprehensive information about the situation regarding the plane crash that may have been carrying Yevgeny Prigozhin, the leader of the Wagner Group, but believes that he was most likely killed.
- Earlier, Reuters, citing two US officials, reported that the plane carrying Wagner Group leaders was likely to have been shot down by a missile fired from Russian territory.
- Meanwhile, The New York Times and Associated Press, citing informed sources, reported that Western intelligence considered an explosion on board to be the likely cause of the crash of the plane carrying the Wagner leader.
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