Russian state media claimed that Yevgeny Prigozhin, the de facto head of the Wagner paramilitary organization, was killed along with nine other people onboard a private jet that tumbled out of the skies north of Moscow on Wednesday.
A flight roster released by Russia's Federal Air Transport Agency, known as Rosaviatsiya, also listed Dmitry Utkin on the downed plane. Utkin, a little-known former GRU officer, is thought to be the founder and early military leader of the Wagner group.
Telegram channels linked to the Wagner group alleged the plane was brought down by Russian anti-aircraft fire near Tver on Wednesday night.
A Telegram channel linked to Wagner, called Grey Zone, posted Wednesday night: “The head of the Wagner Group … Yevgeny Viktorovich Prigozhin died as a result of the actions of traitors to Russia.”
