Yevgeny Prigozhin, the leader of the Wagner paramilitary group, which attempted an unsuccessful rebellion against the Kremlin just two months ago, was reportedly aboard an aircraft that crashed on Wednesday. This incident has prompted inquiries into the circumstances surrounding the tragedy.

The crash occurred in the northwestern region of Moscow and resulted in the fatalities of all passengers on board, as confirmed by Russia’s aviation agency. Among those tragically lost was Prigozhin, the head of the mercenary organization recognized for its ruthless tactics globally and its successes on the battlefront during the conflict in Ukraine.

The incident involved a private Embraer jet carrying a total of seven passengers and three crew members, as detailed by Russia’s emergency services ministry.

Journey of the aircraft:

The aircraft had taken off from Moscow with its destination set for St. Petersburg. However, tragedy struck when it crashed near the village of Kuzhenkino within Russia’s Tver region in the western part of the country. Notably, flight data reveals that the plane had reached an altitude of approximately 28,000 feet before abruptly ceasing to transmit tracking information.

Reports from Russian state media have confirmed the discovery of eight bodies at the crash site. According to the official state news agency TASS, the plane suffered from a fire upon impact and was completely consumed. The duration of the flight was around 30 minutes.

A video released by the Russian state media outlet RIA Novosti depicted a plane descending with a visibly absent wing. While CNN cannot independently authenticate the video’s veracity, RIA Novosti asserted that it captured the moment an Embraer jet plummeted from the sky above the Tver region.

The cause behind the plane’s crash remains uncertain. Russian authorities have affirmed their commitment to an investigation and search operations.

“As it’s descending, it’s spinning rapidly, and there’s a significant amount of smoke trailing it. This suggests the aircraft was on fire, and it seems that certain structural components, possibly aerodynamic surfaces, were missing,” assessed veteran science and aerospace journalist Miles O’Brien after analyzing the footage of the plane’s descent.

“The type of aircraft we’re discussing here… it doesn’t just suddenly and catastrophically crash without some highly unusual circumstances,” O’Brien remarked, further emphasizing the rarity of such events.

Speculations from the video:

Possible factors behind the incident include an explosion either internally or externally, speculated O’Brien – such as an explosive device detonating on board or the plane being struck by a missile.

Former US Federal Aviation Administration safety inspector David Soucie echoed this line of thought, suggesting that the video indicates the plane had just one wing remaining.

Another video shared by RIA Novosti appears to depict the crash site, revealing the final four digits of a registration number on the wreckage of a plane’s engine: 2795. Interestingly, Prigozhin’s own aircraft, associated with his enterprises and the Wagner group, carries the registration RA-02795.

Was this Payback to Yevgeny Prigozhin?

The crash incident unfolds exactly two months after Yevgeny Prigozhin’s attempted mutiny against the leadership of Russia’s military.

In this mutiny, Yevgeny Prigozhin and his Wagner forces had captured strategic military sites and advanced towards Moscow, prompting the Kremlin to deploy heavily armed troops onto the streets. However, before a direct confrontation could occur, an agreement quelled the rebellion. Subsequently, Prigozhin and his fighters were sent to neighboring Belarus.

This episode marked the most substantial challenge to President Vladimir Putin’s authority in over two decades. However, it also cast Prigozhin as a marked figure, leading some experts to speculate that the warlord’s life was in serious jeopardy.

US President Joe Biden hinted on Wednesday that Putin might have played a role in the crash, stating, “I don’t have concrete information on what transpired, but I find it unsurprising.”

CIA Director Bill Burns and Secretary of State Antony Blinken echoed similar sentiments, highlighting Putin’s track record of retaliation and the recurring pattern of Russian critics or dissenters meeting their demise under enigmatic circumstances.