By Nehru Odeh
Yevgeny Prigozhin, leader of the mercenary group, Wagner, who led a failed mutiny against the Russian Army in June, has been reportedly killed alongside nine others in a plane crash.
As reported by the BBC, Prigozhin is believed to be on board the jet that crashed in the Tver region, 60 miles north of Moscow, according to authorities, who say they are investigating the crash.
Wagner-linked Telegram channel Grey Zone reported that the private plane, which belonged to Prigozhin and was flying from Moscow, was shot down by air defences.
The crash happened on the same day that senior Russian general Sergei Surovikin, who was known to have good relations with Prigozhin, was reportedly sacked as air force chief. He had not been since in public since the mutiny
The aircraft is said to have come down near the village of Kuzhenkino in Tver region, about half-way between Moscow and St Petersburg.
Grey Zone said local residents heard two bangs before the crash and saw two vapour trails.
The 62-year-old mercenary boss founded Wagner in 2014, and it now has about 25,000 fighters.
The group has been active in Ukraine, Syria and west Africa, and has gained a reputation for brutality.
Prigozhin’s death was waiting to happen, ever since he led a failed mutiny against the Russian army. Russian watchers have described him as a dead man walking since that failed mutiny.
Prigozhin headed the mutiny on 23-24 June, moving his troops from Ukraine, seizing the southern Russian city of Rostov on Don, and threatening to march on Moscow.
The move came after months of tension with Russian military commanders over the Ukraine conflict.
The stand-off was settled by a deal which allowed Wagner troops to move to Belarus or join the Russian army. Still, the deal did not mean he was safe.
Since the mutiny, where he was described at the time by Vladimir Putin as a “traitor”, Prigozhin has been seen a handful of times.
Prigozhin himself agreed to relocate to Belarus but has apparently been able to move freely, making public appearances in Russia and releasing a video of him purportedly in Africa.