2023-09-23 20:58:33
It has been exactly a month since the death of Wagner boss Prigozhin. Now a plane has crashed in Mali – Wagner mercenaries are said to have been on board.
Exactly a month ago, the head of the Wagner mercenary group and former Putin confidant Yevgeny Prigozhin died. The plane he was traveling on crashed and the circumstances remain unclear. Now a transport plane has crashed in Mali – there might have been Wagner mercenaries on board. This is reported by the British newspaper “Daily Mail”.
The plane was a heavy transport aircraft of the Ilyushin Il-76 type, which was developed in the Soviet Union. The accident occurred near Gao airport. Videos and images from on site show large, black clouds of smoke rising from the machine. Apparently it caught fire shortly following takeoff. It is still unclear whether the plane’s crew survived.
A local source in Mali said: “A white plane missed its landing and crashed near the airport. A short time later it burst into flames.” Initial reports indicate that pilot error might be the cause. It is disputed that the plane was shot down.
Conflicting information regarding the crew
There are conflicting statements as to whether members of the Wagner group were on board. The Telegram channel VChK-OGPU said: “According to preliminary information, Wagner mercenaries might be on board.” Sources from anti-government circles in Mali also claimed that the plane had connections to Wagner, according to the Daily Mail. The Wagner Group is active in Mali and is in the service of the military junta.
Gray Zone, a Telegram channel said to be run by Wagner mercenaries, disputed these accounts and stated that the plane was chartered by local forces to transport material. There was also talk elsewhere that UN peacekeepers were using the plane at the time of the accident, according to media reports.
Prigozhin was long considered a close confidant of Russian President Vladimir Putin. On August 23, he had an accident in his Embraer Legacy 600 aircraft. Previously, a coup attempt by Wagner mercenaries in June had been aborted at the last moment.
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