Kegong: It is not ruled out that Prigorn was murdered by Peskov | accident | murder

On August 30th local time, the press secretary of the Russian President, Peskov, stated that the Russian side is conducting investigations from multiple perspectives, including the possibility of murder, regarding the plane crash of the founder of the Russian private military entity, the Wagner organization, Prigoren. Peskov also stated that there will be no international investigation into the accident that occurred within Russia at present, "let's wait for the results of the Russian investigation.".

Waiting for the results of the Russian investigation

Peskov stated on the same day that the Russian side is conducting investigations from multiple directions, including the possibility of murder. Public opinion has noted that this is the first time the Kremlin has explicitly raised the possibility of Prigorn being murdered.

When asked if there would be any international organizations involved in the investigation, Peskov said that the Russian Investigation Commission is currently conducting an investigation and will not initiate an international investigation. Public opinion has noticed that Prigoren was on a flight within Russia when he died.

Peskov also stated that the cause of this accident is yet to be determined, "let's wait for the results of the Russian investigation.".

According to reports, due to the fact that Prigoren was riding on a Legsey 600 aircraft manufactured by Embraer at the time of his death, the Brazilian Aviation Accident Research and Prevention Center stated that it is willing to assist in the investigation upon invitation from the Russian side to ensure future flight safety. However, the Russian side currently has no plans to invite the Brazilian side to participate in the investigation.

"They have no obligation, they are only advised to do so," said Marcelo Moreno, the head of the center.

Meanwhile, the International Aviation Commission, headquartered in Moscow, stated that it has not participated in the relevant investigation and will not comment on the "accident situation.".

Previously, the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations stated on the 23rd that a private plane took off from the capital Moscow on the same day and headed for St. Petersburg. Shortly after takeoff, it crashed in Tver Oblast. The Russian Investigation Commission subsequently filed a criminal case against the plane crash and announced on the 27th that the identities of all 10 victims, including Prigoren, have been confirmed.

Given Prigoren's identity, this matter has attracted high attention from both domestic and international public opinion in Russia. According to a previous report by CCTV News, Prigoren had previously operated a catering business in Russia, and Putin often chose to entertain foreign dignitaries in his restaurant. Prigoren was also referred to by the media as "Putin's chef".

For over a year, in Russia's special military operations against Ukraine, the paramilitary organization Wagner led by Prigoren has played an important role, especially in the 10 month battle to capture the transportation hub of Bakhmut in the Donetsk region.

But in June of this year, Wagner was suspected of inciting rebellion, causing tension within Russia. Afterwards, with the mediation of Belarusian President Lukashenko, the matter was able to be quelled.

After the plane crash, Russian President Putin said, "I have known Prigoren for a long time, starting from the 1990s. He is a person with many misfortunes and has made serious mistakes in his life..."

It is reported that Prigoren's funeral was held on the 29th in his hometown of St. Petersburg. According to the wishes of their families, the funeral will be held in a non-public form, with approximately 20 to 30 people attending. At the age of 62, Prigoren was buried at the Prokhorov Cemetery in St. Petersburg.

Peskov stated on the 29th that Putin will not attend the funeral of Prime Minister Prigo. There is no specific information about Prigorn's funeral plan in the K Palace, and all arrangements are decided by his relatives.

Roger Nissim

According to a recent report by Global Times, the Prigoren plane crash has many doubts, with most speculations tending to believe that the accident was a "murder".

Firstly, the Legacy 600 aircraft previously maintained a good flight safety record. Prior to this crash, the aircraft model had only experienced one accident in the past 20 years.

Secondly, data shows that the plane on which Prigorn was riding during his death plummeted rapidly. There are reports that shortly after takeoff at 17:54 Moscow time on the 23rd, the plane disappeared from the radar screen, and the crew did not respond to multiple phone inquiries from ground dispatchers. About an hour after takeoff, the plane crashed at around 18:40.

The data from the flight tracking website "24-hour flight radar" shows that the aircraft in question stopped transmitting position data about 15 minutes after takeoff, possibly due to "interference in the area.". The final data shows that the aircraft experienced unstable climb and descent, reaching over 30000 feet at one point. About 25 minutes after takeoff, at 18:19, the aircraft's descent speed approached 8000 feet per minute, after which altitude data transmission stopped.

Furthermore, photos of the crashed wreckage circulating online show multiple suspected bullet holes on the fuselage, possibly related to anti-aircraft missiles. Suspected on-site video shows that when the plane crashed, the body rolled multiple times in the air, and gray smoke columns rose from the body. However, the main structure of the aircraft is still relatively intact and has not been completely dismantled. There are also reports that the plane that Prigoren was on was "bombed out".

In addition, Global Times reported that at least two suspects have "surfaced". One suspect is Archim Stepanov, a private pilot of Prigo and founder of MNT Avia Airlines. Before the incident, Stepanov did not board the plane as planned and instead took the plane to the Kamchatka Peninsula before disappearing.

There are also reports that Sergei Kitrish, an engineer who participated in the last maintenance of the plane in the Prigoren crash, is under investigation regarding whether he installed a bomb before the plane crashed. It is reported that 41 year old Kitrish has been working for Prigo, and he also carried out the last maintenance of the aircraft involved, which was to replace the landing gear brakes and turbocharger cooler.