US President Joe Biden commented on the crash near Tver, noting he was not surprised by the events involving Yevgeny Prigozhin, even though he lacked specific details while finishing a sports event. Biden stated he did not know exactly what happened but did not express astonishment about the incident. When pressed on whether he suspected the Russian leadership, he remarked that very little in Russia is not tied to President Vladimir Putin. He added that his limited knowledge stemmed from having just spent about ninety minutes playing sports.
Adrian Watson, spokesman for the U.S. National Security Council, posted on X that the White House had information about a plane crash near Tver likely connected to Prigozhin and suggested that confirmation of his death would not be surprising. Watson indicated there would be no surprise if that information proved true.
Rosaviatsiya subsequently confirmed that Yevgeny Prigozhin was aboard the aircraft that crashed in the Tver region, with Dmitry Utkin and several others also on board.
On the evening of August 23, an Embraer Legacy jet crashed near Kuzhenkino in the Tver region. The flight connected Moscow and St. Petersburg and carried ten people, including three crew members. Early reports indicated that all on board had perished at the scene.
Earlier, reports noted a rise in midair incidents involving Russian aircraft as questions about the nation’s airspace and safety protocols continued to draw attention. The evolving situation underscored the volatility of air travel in the region and the potential implications for leadership and security dynamics in Russia, while authorities conducted a routine investigation and awaited additional data. The unfolding narrative reflects ongoing scrutiny from Western officials regarding executive leadership and accountability in Moscow, as observers sought to understand the broader context and possible impacts on regional stability. (Reuters)