The fate of Wagner Warlord Yevgeny Prigozhin takes a dramatic twist as reports detail how the warlord may still be alive, in a story that has the potential to be one of the most outlandish throughout all of 2023.
Prigozhin’s Mysterious Survival
According to Russian analyst Professor Valery Solovey, there are assertions that Yevgeny Prigozhin, the leader of the Wagner Group, is still alive and covertly residing on Margarita Island in Venezuela.
Valery Solovey was quoted saying:
“He is in Venezuela… As far as I know, he is on an island called Margarita….Yevgeny Prigozhin was warned about his assassination… that his plane would be destroyed.”
“They developed the trick that we observed. When Wagner’s key commanders died, Yevgeny Prigozhin remained alive and well. They agreed to cooperate in a critical situation,”
This claim emerges in the wake of previous reports that Prigozhin had perished in a plane crash north of Moscow, a tragedy widely speculated to have been orchestrated by Russian President Vladimir Putin, although the Kremlin denies these reports.
Putin commented on the death of Prigozhin, commenting on his success in business, including the resultant industry, oil, gas, precious metals, as well as gems, but going on to add:
“[Prigozhin was] a man with a complicated fate, who has made many serious mistakes in his life.”
This incident followed the Wagner Group’s unconventional actions during their incursion into Moscow earlier this year, which had the potential to disrupt Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Notably, the Wagner Group comprises approximately 50,000 highly skilled soldiers operating on behalf of Russian interests.
Eyewitness report on Prigozhin's plane crash: Two extremely loud explosions followed by the nose of the plane catching fire. Then the plane split into two parts which fell separately in different directions. One part kept spinning. There are two crash sites. pic.twitter.com/nEyzWdJ7w1
— Igor Sushko (@igorsushko) August 24, 2023
Solovey’s Claims and Controversies
A former head of an institute in Moscow, Solovey suggests Prigozhin evaded the deadly plane crash and is currently enjoying life in Margarita, Venezuela, a popular vacation destination.
Despite these assertions, Solovey’s credibility is questioned by many due to his previous conspiracy theories and dismissal from his job for “political reasons.” Furthermore, he made statements indicating that Putin is suffering from an illness, initially believed to have been stomach cancer, but was later discredited.
International Perspectives on Prigozhin’s Fate
The mystery of Prigozhin’s alleged death has international implications. While Russia and the United Kingdom assert he died in the plane crash, Ukrainian military intelligence remains skeptical.
There are also rumors of body doubles being used by both Prigozhin and Putin. Solovey adds that Prigozhin had foreknowledge of the assassination attempt on his plane and took measures to avoid it.
Plane Crash Details and Speculations
The exact cause of the plane explosion that supposedly claimed Prigozhin’s life and the lives of nine others is still undisclosed. According to Solovey, Prigozhin was told to stay hidden until Putin’s potential impending death, which some sources suggest might occur soon.
While some say Prigozhin’s DNA was identified post-crash, as well as the other nine of the flight, contrasting reports from various intelligence agencies and associates continue to fuel speculations about his actual fate.
