Genetic Tests Confirm Identity of Yevgeny Prigozhin

Russian investigators announced on Sunday that genetic tests have conclusively confirmed the death of Yevgeny Prigozhin in a plane crash that occurred last Wednesday. Prigozhin was the chief of the Wagner mercenary group.

Identification of Other Victims

Prior to this announcement, Russia’s aviation agency had released the names of all ten individuals who were on board the private jet that crashed in the Tver region northwest of Moscow. Among them were Yevgeny Prigozhin and Dmitry Utkin, Prigozhin’s right-hand man who co-founded the Wagner group.

Successful Molecular-Genetic Examinations

The Investigative Committee of Russia stated on its Telegram messaging app that comprehensive molecular-genetic examinations have been completed as part of the investigation into the plane crash. The results of these tests confirmed the identities of all ten deceased individuals, matching the names on the flight sheet.

Connection to Previous Mutiny

Interestingly, the private jet crash occurred exactly two months after Yevgeny Prigozhin led an unsuccessful mutiny against Russia’s army top brass. President Vladimir Putin referred to this mutiny as a treacherous “stab in the back,” but later met with Prigozhin in the Kremlin. President Putin expressed his condolences to the families of the crash victims, as stated by the aviation agency.