The latest news of Yevgeny Prigozhin, the leader of the Russian mercenary group Wagner, dying in a plane crash that took place northwest of Moscow has constantly been in the headlines for the past two days.
According to the reports, Prigozhin, who was the reason for the failed mutiny against the Kremlin (the Russian Government), was on board the plane that crashed this Wednesday.
According to Russia’s aviation agency, the private Embraer jet was carrying three crew members and seven passengers upon departing from Moscow, but while it was en route to St. Petersburg, it crashed near the village of Kuzheniko. The Wagner group claims the incident was orchestrated by Putin. Thus, there is an idea of them plotting revenge against the Russian president. But will they actually seek revenge after Prigozhin’s death? Even though his death is not officially confirmed.
How Did the Plane Crash and Why the Wagner Group Blame the Kremlin?
Before determining whether Wagner plots a revenge scheme on the Kremlin, it is essential to go through the details regarding the Plane Crash and what led to these circumstances. As you know, the Wagner group is a mercenary force founded by Prigozhin in 2014 and was registered as a “private military company” in 2022.
During the Russian-Ukrainian war in May 2023, Wagner troops captured the city of Bakhmut for Russia. However, the battle resulted in many of their troops getting injured due to Russia’s army chief, Valery Gerasimov, under-supplying the troops at the critical juncture.
This incident led them to stage a mutiny in June 2023 with 5,000 Wagner fighters, and they successfully occupied the city of Rostov-on-Don to oust Gerasimov and Sergei Shoujo, who were responsible for the loss.
In the aftermath of the crash, the Telegram channel of Wagner Play, the protest movement led by the fighters, blamed Putin and vowed to stage another uprising against the Kremlin. The source puts it this way:
“There are rumors about the death of the head of Wagner PMC Yevgeny Prigozhin. We directly say that we suspect the Kremlin officials led by Putin of an attempt to kill him!”
“If the information about Prigozhin’s death is confirmed, we will organize a second ‘March of Justice’ in Moscow! He’d better be alive, it’s in your own interests….”
It is not clear what caused the plane to crash near the village, but Russian authorities are investigating the incident. However, they claim that it came down quickly with a trail of smoke as if it was shot by something. So, it’s no wonder the Wagner group blames the Kremlin for what happened right after they staged the mutiny.
How Powerful Is Wagner Group? A List of Their Top Feats of Strength
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Will Wagner Group Seek Revenge on the Kremlin?
With the specifics of Prigozhin’s death out of the way, the main question of whether the Wagner group wages a war against the Kremlin remains to be answered.
Honestly, seeing as how the Wagner group has been sticking together for years, fighting wars upon wars, it is quite normal they believe in their leader more than anything. So, there is no doubt they will try to avenge Prigozhin if it is confirmed that he is indeed dead in the plane crash.
There was a video of the Wagner group warning the Kremlin circulated in the X, stating how they are preparing to stage another uprising. You can see it here:
Furthermore, Edward Lucas, a non-resident senior adviser at the CEPA (Center for European Policy Analysis), also expressed how if the death of Prigozhin was to be confirmed, the ongoing Russian Civil War would take a drastic turn.
Specifically, he highlighted that the failed mutiny in June will be repeated, but it will no longer be the same.
It looks like Prigozhin’s death was a huge blow for Wagner’s group. What actions do you believe they will take in this position?
Let us know your stance on the situation.
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