Let's dive into the walls of speculation surrounding the alleged orchestration of Yevgeny Prigozhin's aircraft crash. A shocking report from The Wall Street Journal points the finger at Russia's security officer, Nikolai Patrushev, as the mastermind behind this tragic event.
In June 2023, Prigozhin, the influential head of the Wagner mercenary group, publicly called for an uprising against the Russian military leadership. Two months later, the businessman met his end in a plane crash on the journey from Moscow to St. Petersburg. The news sent a wave of suspicion towards the Russian government. However, Moscow staunchly denied any involvement, with Putin himself raising the possibility of hand grenades causing the crash.
The Wall Street Journal's detailed report, based on information from Western intelligence services, former officials, and ex-Kremlin employees, asserts that the explosion on August 23 was no accident. According to their investigation, a bomb was planted under the planes wing, causing it to detonate about 30 minutes into the flight. All passengers, including Prigozhin and Wagner functionary Dmitry Utkin, perished in the tragic event.
Patrushev, a long-time confidant of Putin, has been known to be one of the most powerful individuals in Russia. A former head of the FSB security service, he now serves as secretary of the Russian Security Council. With a history dating back to their time in the Soviet KGB, Putin and Patrushev share a bond that spans decades.
The report alleges that Patrushev perceived Prigozhin as a threat to Putin's power due to his vehement criticism of the Russian military officers and his growing influence in the Ukrainian war. Despite denials from the Kremlin, the Wall Street Journal's investigation suggests that Putin did not disapprove of the elimination of Prigozhin.
The Russian government, however, fiercely dismissed the report, labeling it as "pulp fiction." Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, reacting to the Wall Street Journal's claims, did not comment but went on to label the newspaper as "a penchant for trashy novels."
Interestingly, Patrushev is not the only individual associated with the possible elimination of disgraced Russian figures. Alexander Litvinenko, a former secret service agent, was killed in 2006 while in exile in the UK. Litvinenko consumed tea laced with radioactive polonium-210, leading to his death by poisoning. A British judge ruled that Patrushev had approved the murder[1][4].
While The Wall Street Journal fails to directly accuse Patrushev of masterminding the attack, the widespread speculation and the Kremlin's history of eliminating opponents create an intriguing narrative. However, it is crucial to remember that the information is based on unverified sources.
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While The Wall Street Journal's report does not directly accuse Patrushev, the historical context of eliminating disgraced Russian figures by the Russian government and the Kremlin's denial add intrigue to the situation. However, it is important to note that this information is based on unverified sources, and direct evidence is lacking.
