Ukraine's intelligence chief on Prigozhin: We still don't know if he died or not
Kyrylo Budanov, Chief of Defence Intelligence of Ukraine (DIU), has said that Ukrainian intelligence has no information confirming the death of Wagner leader Yevgeny Prigozhin.
Source: Budanov in an interview with Ukrainska Pravda
Quote: "Regarding the death of Prigozhin, let's say this: all I can tell you is that we still do not have a single fact confirming his death.
I don't know whether he died or not.
And what was the impact of what was shown? Well, it is quite understandable that there has been a certain weakening within the Wagner Group. This is good for us, what's there to hide. Wagner was a very serious adversary when it acted as a private military company."
Details: Budanov says that the events that happened to the Russian private military company give hope that Wagner will not fight as a single organism: "This was actually a huge problem for Ukraine. No matter what anyone says, they knew how to fight."
Budanov also spoke about the fate of Sergey Surovikin, the Former Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Aerospace Forces, who was dismissed due to his connection with the Wagner Group.
The DIU Chief believes that Surovikin was "given a nominal position" and "is living a normal life": "Of course, he no longer has the same influence as he had. But, in the end, again, this is good for Ukraine."
Quote: "He was quite strict in making decisions and was not afraid to take responsibility. And this is a problem for us.
Now he lives quietly and is engaged in analytical work.
It cannot be said that he was integrated into the rebellion. It's just that he had a very close relationship with Prigozhin.
He did everything to ensure that, in the eyes of the Russians, he did not issue criminal orders to strike at his own people. And the Wagner Group is Russia. His role was there."
Background:
- On 23 August, Russian media and Rosaviatsia reported that a plane carrying Yevgeny Prigozhin had crashed in Tver Oblast. All 10 people on board were reportedly killed, including Prigozhin's deputy, Dmitry Utkin, who went by the alias Wagner.
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