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This Is What Putin Was Doing as Prigozhin’s Plane Crashed in Flames

The Kremlin has so far remained silent on the Wagner leader’s reported death.

As the shocking news broke that Wagner Group founder Yevgeny Prigozhin had been aboard a plane that crashed on Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin attended a concert praising the “heroes” of his brutal war in Ukraine. Putin was filmed making a speech at the event which marked the 80th anniversary of the Second World War Battle of Kursk, and appeared to hand out military honors. Wednesday was also another significant date for Putin, coming exactly two months after Prigozhin launched a failed mutiny against Russia’s military leadership in what was widely considered the most serious challenge to Putin’s authority throughout his time in the Kremlin. Russia’s Federal Air Transport Agency confirmed that Prigozhin was on the passenger list of the private jet which slammed into the ground in Russia’s western Tver region on Wednesday, killing all 10 people on board. As of Thursday morning, Putin has not commented on Prigozhin’s purported death.