Private Jet “Mysteriously” Crashes In Russia

Private Jet “Mysteriously” Crashes In Russia

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A private jet crashed today just outside of Moscow, and as you’d expect, it appears it wasn’t a coincidence…

Private jet crashes with Yevgeny Prigozhin on passenger list

This evening, a 16-year-old Embraer Legacy 600 private jet with the registration code RA02795 crashed shortly after departing Moscow. The Russian registered jet was supposed to operate a flight to St. Petersburg, though ended up crashing just north of Moscow, near the village of Kuzhenkino in the Tver region.

There are believed to have been 10 people onboard the aircraft, and they unfortunately all died. Russian mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin was listed as a passenger on the plane, according to Russian authorities. However, I haven’t seen any evidence yet as to whether he was just listed as a passenger, or was actually onboard. All signs point toward the jet having been shot down by a Russian missile.

As a reminder, 62-year-old Prigozhin was the person behind the June 2023 Wagner Group rebellion, which for a moment looked like it might turn Russia’s invasion of Ukraine into a civil war. That rebellion ended when Putin made a deal whereby Prigozhin could relocate to Belarus. Charges against him were dropped, and he has freely been traveling around Russia ever since.

Russia’s aviation agency has released the following statement:

“An investigation has been launched into an Embraer plane crash that occurred tonight in the Tver region. According to the passenger list, the name and surname of Yevgeny Prigozhin is among them.”

I’m sure we can trust them to perform a thorough and transparent investigation into the cause of this!

There are more questions than answers

It goes without saying that it’s sad that 10 people lost their lives in this accident. However, I can’t help but scratch my head here, because did we really see this playing out any other way?

  • Did Prigozhin assume he could just safely travel around Russia and take Putin at his word, or did he realize he was toast either way, so just went about living his life until something like this happened?
  • Then there’s the whole question of whether Prigozhin was actually on this plane, or if he was just on the passenger list; there haven’t been many sightings of him in recent weeks, so one has to wonder if something about this may have been staged

If someone with a good understanding of Russian politics has some insights, I’d sure love to hear them. I mean, I feel like we could have all seen this coming, so is there something I’m missing, or…?

Bottom line

A private jet with 10 people onboard crashed just outside of Moscow today, and all signs point toward it having been shot down. The jet belonged to Prigozhin, who almost caused a civil war in Russia back in June. He eventually reached an agreement with Putin, who dropped charges against him, and allowed him to relocate to Belarus. However, Putin is a man who likes to take revenge, so that’s where we’re at now…

What do you make of this Russia private jet crash?

Conversations (53)
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  1. Kent Guest

    Probably the work of the CIA. They well get in bed with anyone for anything.

  2. Super VC10 Guest

    As a former flight attendant, I find myself wondering about the flight attendant and two pilots who died in this crash... and if they had worried about working on the jet of someone who was a known enemy of Putin?

  3. NYGuy24 Diamond

    "All signs point toward the jet having been shot down by a Russian missile." This is based on what exactly? Find this really odd when the US intelligence community is saying they have no indication of a missile being used. A bomb having been planted on the plane seems far more consistent.

  4. Em Guest

    How insightful this article is not.

    1. Em Guest

      May be worth mentioning the long and mutually benefitting history between Putin and Prigozhin up until most recently instead of basically rehashing a headline.

  5. Joe Maune Guest

    Playing devil with the devil..always end badly..neither to say..in hell !

  6. Ameer Guest

    Hi Ben - I'm surprised you haven't covered this story:

    https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/private-jet-crashes-highway-malaysia-rcna100562

  7. Icarus Guest

    I guess it was this, polonium in his kasha or accidentally falling out of a window. Putin will say it was a mechanical issue and nothing to do with him lol.

    1. Nelson Diamond

      @ Icarus;
      Isn't a "mechanical issue" happening after a plane is hit by a SAM?
      (Sarcastic) ;-)

  8. John Guest

    According to the musings of our resident genius @Eskimo, this crash (and indeed all air crashes) could have been wholly prevented - if the plane were "fully automated". Enough said..

  9. frank Guest

    So Putin clearly did it. How many planes have you actually seen falling out of the sky? How many commercial planes? Not many.
    Also, if Putin really wanted to get rid of Prigozhin, he could have done it in many other ways? This is way too public and too much attention. Prigozhin could have eaten at a restaurant and gotten a heart attack instead.

    1. Kent Guest

      Ironically, Prigozhin was once upon a time Putin’s chef.

    2. Eve Guest

      Do you not get the fact that he wants attention? The fact that Kremlin has been quiet and also the state media reported the manifest just minutes after the crash. He wants to give a warning after the embarrassment Prigozhin created with his mutiny. Putin is a power man, he needs to show power and not let this guy just roam around freely after almost invading Moscow. This will show weakness

      Besides that literally...

      Do you not get the fact that he wants attention? The fact that Kremlin has been quiet and also the state media reported the manifest just minutes after the crash. He wants to give a warning after the embarrassment Prigozhin created with his mutiny. Putin is a power man, he needs to show power and not let this guy just roam around freely after almost invading Moscow. This will show weakness

      Besides that literally every western government officials are literally saying they expected this to happen.

      The facts are out here in front of you but some of you for some reason wants it to be a normal accident.

      Also what Embraer has suddenly lost its wings midair till today!! The chances of an Aeroflot aircraft crashing till now is much higher then that happening

    3. Nelson Diamond

      @ Eve;
      Fully agree with you!
      @ frank;
      This wasn't a commercial plane. And attention is just right what he want's, without hurting himself (for the moment).

  10. DCharlie Guest

    Haa! Interesting how those opposed to Russia or the U.S. end up dying! Those against Russia end up dying mysteriously and those against the U.S. end up being publicly executed - even heads of sovereign nations. No wonder the two countries cannot see eye to eye since they are opposing faces of the same coin. One doesn’t care how the world views them and the other is too cowardly to fight their own wars.

    1. ArnoldB Guest

      Go away putin troll, nobody wants you

    2. DCharlie Guest

      Hi @ArnoldB - Got your panties in a bunch?

    3. Jared Guest

      What’s wrong with what was said? The U.S. and Russia are by far the greatest threats to the rest of the global community.

  11. Sergey Guest

    I think there are two main options here.

    1. Putin is behind it and wanted to take out Prigozhin. Keep in mind that Putin is on the record as saying he's willing to forgive...except traitors. Aka Prigozhin. He's notorious for even years later going after traitors (just look at all the poisonings in the UK).

    2. Prigozhin staged this crash to fake his own death to get away.

    #1 is more likely but who knows....

    I think there are two main options here.

    1. Putin is behind it and wanted to take out Prigozhin. Keep in mind that Putin is on the record as saying he's willing to forgive...except traitors. Aka Prigozhin. He's notorious for even years later going after traitors (just look at all the poisonings in the UK).

    2. Prigozhin staged this crash to fake his own death to get away.

    #1 is more likely but who knows. If that is in fact the case, it's insane that Prigozhin chose to remain in Russia after the failed coup attempt.

    1. ConcordeBoy Diamond

      If it's #2, and he staged his death by killing 10 others.... then here's to hoping that Putin actually *does* get him, in the end.

    2. Nelson Diamond

      @ConcordeBoy;
      Agree with you but do you realy believe that guy would care about 10 other lifes, even if they were wagner's?
      The plane was owned by him so I suppose the pax on board were no tourist's returning from any exotic vacation...

  12. Ralph Guest

    would have been a lot less expensive to have him dropped from a highrise apartment ....

    1. Nelson Diamond

      @ Ralph;
      I heard, affraid of that possibility, he always opted to live on the groundfloor.
      And sincerely, I doubt he was the only 'target' in that plane.

  13. Endre Guest

    Putin executed ‘order 66’

    1. D3Kingg Guest

      Clear for takeoff dah 22. Hev a nice day.

  14. Julia Guest

    Putin does not fcuk around, y'all.

  15. Cheahire Guest

    “He vas granted immunity from criminal prosecution. Regrettably zis immunity does not extend to surface-air-missles.”

  16. D3Kingg Guest

    So When is Ukraine sending aid to Lahaina ?

    1. ArthurSFO Diamond

      OooOoH wHat An eDGy coMmeNT, YoU'rE sO cOOl AnD CleVEr, uNliKe aLL tHe ShEEple coMMenTinG hErE.

      WHY CaN't I bE As cOOl aS YoU? :(

    2. Nick Guest

      When CNN reports Biden citing a small kitchen fire to Maui fire survivors…

    3. Lee Guest

      This political comment does not belong on this blog. It belongs on VFTW. That being said, you should fully express what you mean. Don't hold back. "So when is Ukraine sending aid to the gun-toting, white, straight, Christian residents of Lahaina who support authoritarian government?"

    4. D3kingg Guest

      @Lee

      It’s 2023 what isn’t politicized ? I’m just trying to get some financial news on Bloomberg news and just saw a headline that Putin ordered the plane to be downed.

      I wouldn’t rule that out but as an aviation expert I would likely give more merit to embraer having less capabilities to maintain the jet due to sanctions and also pilots are under a tremendous amount of pressure when flying govt officials. The...

      @Lee

      It’s 2023 what isn’t politicized ? I’m just trying to get some financial news on Bloomberg news and just saw a headline that Putin ordered the plane to be downed.

      I wouldn’t rule that out but as an aviation expert I would likely give more merit to embraer having less capabilities to maintain the jet due to sanctions and also pilots are under a tremendous amount of pressure when flying govt officials. The incident involving the crash of the president of Poland comes to mind where the pilots were pressured to land in bad weather conditions at an airport which had equipment down as opposed to diverting

  17. digital_notmad Diamond

    Honestly impressed that we're 15 comments in with no halfwit trolls trying to stir up doubt about what Putin did here

  18. BradStPete Diamond

    Well you know, Russia does have this " Open Window Policy " wherein folks critical of Putin....tend to have "accidents".......

  19. Adam Guest

    It wasn’t a crash; it was a special landing operation.

  20. Don Guest

    I wonder who owned and operated the private jet?

    It may have been a missile. But, missiles can be seen or heard when fired, often leaving a trail behind them. Planting a bomb with an altitude triggering devise is cleaner. But I would expect that someone in Prigozhin's line of work would have security measures in place and a security team. And I would expect someone like Putin would have a team in place...

    I wonder who owned and operated the private jet?

    It may have been a missile. But, missiles can be seen or heard when fired, often leaving a trail behind them. Planting a bomb with an altitude triggering devise is cleaner. But I would expect that someone in Prigozhin's line of work would have security measures in place and a security team. And I would expect someone like Putin would have a team in place to bribe or "convince" a member of the ground crew or an insider to place an explosive device.

    He should have kept driving to Moscow ......

    1. Nelson Diamond

      @ Don;
      AS I heard, HE was the owner of the jet.
      Yeah missiles can maybe be seen at that altitude but certainly not avoided regarding the speed of the jet and the speed of the missile.

  21. Mark Guest

    I find it odd that anyone would find this to be anything but an accident. Why do people think it is odd for airplane to fall out of the sky in Russia when they don't have parts to maintain the plane? Rumors has it that the plane had a missing wing, that is a very typical maintenance issue.

    1. Eve Guest

      Are you being sarcastic? Do you not realize what this guy did less than two months ago? And it is no coincidence that several Russians generals involved in the incident that happened two months ago were fired in the past 24 hours!! Also the fact that Russian state media immediately released passenger manifesto and confirmed Prigozhin dead, minutes after the incident. Too convenient

      Besides from everyone including Biden has warned Prigozhin to look behind...

      Are you being sarcastic? Do you not realize what this guy did less than two months ago? And it is no coincidence that several Russians generals involved in the incident that happened two months ago were fired in the past 24 hours!! Also the fact that Russian state media immediately released passenger manifesto and confirmed Prigozhin dead, minutes after the incident. Too convenient

      Besides from everyone including Biden has warned Prigozhin to look behind his back because Putin will not let this go without consequences

      That’s enough things to add up everything.

    2. Nelson Diamond

      @Mark;
      Sure you will loose a wing if a SAM Buck is shot at.
      Doubt that his Jet had flighthours accumulated like most other Western russian A/C's which also don't have secure maintenance...
      Remember Ben's post about the 9 Aeroflot's that were asked to only use reverse thrust to stop them instead of brakes too?
      True, I'm astonished that up untill now we didn't hear about a Aeroflot crash.

    3. ArthurSFO Diamond

      "The plane had a missing wing."

      WAT

      "This is a very typical maintenance issue."

      I can't even *facepalm*

    4. Mh Diamond

      More whooshes here than around that Embraer...

  22. Jim Guest

    Famously, Georgiy Zhukov was one of the only people who dared to disagree with Stalin, and Stalin respected him for it. Zhukov, of course, saw what had become of all the other Soviet generals and figured since that was inevitable anyways, he might as well have a spine.

    Putin is no Stalin.

    1. Pierre Diamond

      Zhukov had also WON his war (WW2). This may have made a difference.

  23. betterbub Diamond

    Man imagine if this was an actual really coincidental accident though

  24. Cam Member

    I'm surprised he didn't mysteriously fall out a window instead.

    1. Pierre Diamond

      You must be confusing with Goldfinger... But Gert Froebe swallowed out of a Learjet small window is far more extraordinary than the Embraer blown out of the sky.

  25. Ryan Guest

    Russians love a good conspiracy theory as much as anyone. They'll be pointing fingers at everyone but Putin. In the end people will claim he isn't really dead even if there is a body. Or if he shows up alive they will claim it's a double and he's really dead. Whatever is the opposite of the official story.

    1. pstm91 Diamond

      Quite a generalization, though you're not totally wrong. However, the friends in Russia I have spoken to all immediately said he's likely been dead for weeks (no one has heard from him), and this is just a way of making an excuse for it.

    2. Mh Diamond

      He posted a video out of Africa a couple of days ago...

    3. Nelson Diamond

      @Mh;
      THERE WAS a video posted of him, they don't mention a date of the "filming."
      I just posted a video on my social media I took 10 years ago.

  26. KV Guest

    While the speculation is that Putin was behind this (with good reason), Ukrainians certainly have their own interests in doing away with Prigozhin.

    1. Mh Diamond

      True... but this wouldn't have been reported by the Russian government and Wagner the way it has if there was a chance to blame Ukraine.

Featured Comments Most helpful comments ( as chosen by the OMAAT community ).

The comments on this page have not been provided, reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any advertiser, and it is not an advertiser's responsibility to ensure posts and/or questions are answered.

Adam Guest

It wasn’t a crash; it was a special landing operation.

16
pstm91 Diamond

Quite a generalization, though you're not totally wrong. However, the friends in Russia I have spoken to all immediately said he's likely been dead for weeks (no one has heard from him), and this is just a way of making an excuse for it.

6
BradStPete Diamond

Well you know, Russia does have this " Open Window Policy " wherein folks critical of Putin....tend to have "accidents".......

5
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