FLASH
Shkruar nga Pamfleti
"Prigozhin had 'died' even earlier", recalling that Wagner's financier was also declared dead in an air accident in the fall of 2019...
Several conspiracy theories are circulating online about the possible death of the infamous leader of Wagner's mercenaries, Yevgeny Prigozhin, after a plane crashed in Russia on Wednesday. The Russian Civil Aviation Authority stated that a private plane that, according to data, also had former Kremlin ally Prigozhin on board, crashed north of Moscow, killing all 10 passengers.
Among them was Dmitry Utkin, a former Russian officer believed to be a co-founder of the mercenary group.
The clash came 2 months after Prigozhin led a short-lived armed rebellion against the Kremlin. His forces occupied the southern city of Rostov-on-Don, before marching on the Russian capital.
The rebellion was quashed after a deal reportedly brokered by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.
The passenger list released by the Russian authorities showed that there were 7 passengers and 3 crew members on board. Russia's Federal Air Transport Agency confirmed the launch of an investigation into the incident.
The plane crashed near the village of Kuzhenkino, Tver region. Footage of the plane crashing to the ground, along with photos of the wreckage, soon went viral on the internet. The bodies found at the crash site have not yet been identified, the highly influential Russian military blogger, known by the nickname Rybar, wrote on his social media on Thursday.
His social media account is believed to be run by a former employee of the Russian Ministry of Defense. Another Russian media outlet claimed that Prigozhin's body had been transferred to a morgue and was being examined in Tver. But the circumstances surrounding the plane crash have inspired a wave of conspiracy theories about who is responsible or whether the Wagner leader was really among the victims.
The Russian Ministry of Defense has not officially commented on the crash and was contacted by "Newsweek".
The Telegram channel called "Grey Zone", linked to Wagner, said that Prigozhin and Utkin had died "as a result of the actions of traitors to Russia", without specifying further details.
The channel also claimed that the plane was shot down by Russian air defense units during its journey from Moscow to St. Petersburg. Vladimir Rogov, a Russian-backed local official in Ukraine's southern Zaporizhzhia region, said he had received confirmation that Prigozhin and Utkin were dead, calling it a "murder".
However, so far no evidence has been provided to support any of the claims and theories. US President Joe Biden, along with several analysts, pointed the finger at Russian President Vladimir Putin. Although he did not know the details of the plane crash, Biden said: "I'm not surprised." There is not much that happens in Russia that Putin is not behind. But I don't know enough to know the correct answer."
Was the incident staged?
The Russian Telegram channel "Baza", linked to the Russian security services, said on Wednesday that "Prigozhin had 'died' even earlier", recalling that Wagner's financier was also declared dead in a plane crash in the fall of the year 2019.
Mediat ruse raportuan në tetor 2019 se Prigozhin mund të kishte humbur jetën kur një avion transporti ushtarak An-72 u rrëzua në Republikën Demokratike të Kongos. Më vonë rezultoi se ai nuk ishte në atë avion. Raportet se Prigozhin është vrarë janë “pretendime të rreme”, tha ish-piloti i garave Igor Sushko në një postim për platformën X.
“Ky duket si një komplot i Putinit për ta zhdukur nga skena”- tha ai. Megjithatë, Sushko tha më pas, aktivisti rus i të drejtave të njeriut në mërgim, Vladimir Osechkin, ishte “99.999 për qind i sigurt se Prigozhin ishte vrarë vërtetë nga Putin”, duke pretenduar se citonte burime ruse të sigurisë.
“Nëse unë do të isha Prigozhin, pikërisht në këtë mënyrë do ta inskenoja vdekjen time të rreme”- ka shkruar një tjetër përdorues i rrjeteve sociale. “Të gjithë do të ishin të lumtur, dhe unë mund të tërhiqesha në paqe ne jetën time private”- shtoi ai. Në një postim në platformën X, gazeta e Evropës Lindore “Visegrad 24” ngriti pyetjen: “A ka mundësi që incidenti të jetë një dredhi e zgjuar e Prigozhin për të falsifikuar vdekjen e tij dhe për t’u zhdukur?”
Prigozhin u largua pas përplasjes
Duke cituar të dhënat e gjurmimit të fluturimit, disa spekulojnë se një avion i dytë në pronësi të Prigozhin u nis gjithashtu nga Moska për në Shën Petersburg në të njëjtën kohë. Dhe disa pretendojnë se shefi i Wagner ishte pikërisht në bodin e avionit të dytë. Christo Grozev, nga gazeta investigative “Bellingcat”, shtoi se të gjithë ishin kuriozë të shihnin nëse Prigozhin do të dilte i gjallë nga avioni i dytë.
Një sozi e Prigozhin?
Ndërkohë muajt e fundit ka pasur spekulime nëse Prigozhin ka përdorur një sozi. Pasi udhëheqësi i Wagner kishte humbur më parë një pjesë të gishtit, por dukej se i kishte të gjithë gishtat e tij të paprekur në fotografitë e fillimit të këtij viti.
After Wagner's rebellion in late June, photos also emerged showing Prigozhin wearing a variety of masks, including several types of wigs. "He is a fraud, a strange creature" - says a source for the independent Russian news media "Meduza". He has informants in various structures, so we have to wait and see what will happen. /Taken and adapted from "Newsweek"
Lini një Përgjigje