In a video released by the Russian state media outlet RIA Novosti, an aircraft resembling an Embraer Legacy 600, one often used by Yevgeniy Prigozhin, can be observed plummeting from the sky with one of its wings missing.

Yevgeniy Prigozhin, the leader of the Wagner Group mercenaries who briefly rebelled against the Kremlin in June, was reportedly identified as one of the passengers on the plane that crashed on Wednesday. The crash is said to have claimed the lives of all 10 individuals on board, including three pilots and seven passengers, as reported by the Russian state news agency TASS. 

As of now, Russian emergency services have not officially confirmed Prigozhin’s presence on the flight. or his fate.

At this time, the video’s authenticity cannot be independently verified, though RIA Novosti asserts that it captures the exact moment when the jet crashed in Russia’s Tver region, near the town of Kuzhenkino.

The aircraft depicted in the video bears a striking resemblance to an Embraer Legacy 600, a model associated with Prigozhin. It boasts dark paint and two distinctive engines that are positioned towards the tail.

The video shows the aircraft descending in a single piece, without any obvious signs of a catastrophic explosion within the aircraft’s fuselage. Nevertheless, as the plane spirals, it becomes apparent that only one wing remains attached.

“An investigation has been launched into the crash of the Embraer aircraft, which occurred tonight in the Tver region. According to the list of passengers, among them is the name and surname of Yevgeny Prigozhin,” said the Federal Air Transport Agency in a statement. According to the agency, the plane was en route to St. Petersburg. 

The White House National Security Council spokesperson has also made a statement in the aftermath. Adrienne Watson said, “If confirmed, no one should be surprised. The disastrous war in Ukraine led to a private army marching on Moscow, and now — it would seem — to this,” she said.