No 'definitive' evidence that Wagner boss Prigozhin is dead, UK defence intelligence reports

There is no "definitive" evidence that Wagner mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin is dead, according to the Ministry of Defence (MOD).

In its latest defence intelligence update, the MOD said that it is "highly likely" that the former Putin ally turned rival is dead, and that there was the potential for a leadership vacuum to erupt following the plane crash that happened exactly two months after the Wagner Group’s mutiny.

"The demise of Prigozhin would almost certainly have a deeply destabilising effect on the Wagner Group," the MOD said.

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"On 23 August 2023, exactly two months after the Wagner Group’s mutiny, a Wagner-associated Embraer business jet crashed near Tver, between Moscow and St Petersburg.

"The Russian authorities claim 10 people on board died, including Wagner owner Yevgeny Prigozhin.

"There is not yet definitive proof that Prigozhin was onboard, and he is known to exercise exceptional security measures.

"However, it is highly likely that he is indeed dead.

"His personal attributes of hyper-activity, exceptional audacity, a drive for results and extreme brutality permeated Wagner and are unlikely to be matched by any successor.

"Wagner's leadership vacuum would be compounded by the reports that founder and field commander Dimitry Utkin and logistics chief Valery Chekalov also died."