Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko stated that he had prior information about a planned assassination attempt against Wagner PMC founder Yevgeny Prigozhin and that he reported this to the Kremlin.
During a discussion about the trip to the United Arab Emirates in early 2024, Lukashenko claimed he received deeper intelligence from various sources about the attempt targeting Prigozhin. He said he conveyed a coded message to Vladimir Putin and Nikolai Patrushev regarding the matter.
Lukashenko asserted that Prigozhin himself never sought guarantees for his personal safety.
To address the question directly, the Belarusian leader argued that he was not obligated to ensure Prigozhin’s safety, and he noted that the topic had not been explored to any greater extent in their conversations. He added that threats to Prigozhin’s life were discussed at different times, including negotiations during the armed uprising and at a late meeting.
“I don’t believe”
The president emphasized that he discounts the version that Prigozhin’s plane was downed by a missile.
He explained that he was not at the crash site and proposed two possibilities: a missile involved in the crash or an on-board explosion. He reminded readers that a chain of command would be required for a space and air operation, noting the scale of responsibility and the number of people involved.
Lukashenko added that he would not rule out the possibility of an impulsive action by an unknown individual, though he doubted such a move would come from a high-level actor.
“RF doesn’t need it”
The Belarusian leader argued that Moscow had little incentive to orchestrate an assassination, given that parties had already reached an agreement on divergent views long before.
He asserted that the attempt against Prigozhin did not make strategic sense for Russian authorities and noted that the organizers of the uprising had previously bargained over disagreements with Moscow. Lukashenko said that recent information suggested the tail section of the plane separated during the crash, implying an on-board explosion. He admitted he did not know who was responsible, but he did not expect Putin to be the author of such an act, stressing Putin’s precision and careful approach. He also remarked that Putin would not be acting as a lawyer for his older brother, and he characterized the execution as crude and unprofessional.
“No official results”
Russian Presidential Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that the full results of the investigation would be released only after all necessary procedures, including genetic testing, were completed. This response addressed a question about whether the Kremlin would officially confirm Prigozhin’s death.
Peskov indicated that he could not say when the investigations and due process would finish, noting Putin’s demanding schedule. He emphasized that the president’s timetable currently left little room for confirmation or funerals. He also clarified that the president had not met with Prigozhin recently.
The discussion also noted ongoing procedural steps, but it avoided presuming a final conclusion about responsibility or the exact circumstances of the disaster.
SC study
The Embraer Legacy business jet crashed on the evening of August 23 near Kuzhenkino in the Tver region, with ten people on board, including Prigozhin. The Federal Air Transport Agency reported the casualty figures.
The Investigative Committee of Russia opened a criminal case for violations of safety rules and the operation of a vehicle. Flight recorders were seized, and a detailed on-site investigation continued.
Following the crash, ten bodies were recovered, and molecular genetic testing was underway to establish identities. The ICR press service stated that all possible scenarios would be carefully examined.