Somber scenes in Kyiv mark Ukraine’s Independence Day and 18 months of war
he 6-year-old boy walked up to President Volodymyr Zelensky, his small hands outstretched to accept a medal on behalf of his father — a Ukrainian soldier killed in action last year.
It was a quiet moment that seemed to convey the grief of all of Ukraine as the country marked 32 years of independence on Thursday with a somber morning ceremony outside one of Kyiv’s most famous cathedrals. Thursday also marked the 18-month anniversary of the war, and the mood in the capital felt more subdued than celebratory, as soldiers and civilians reflected on the loss and violence that have defined their world since Russia invaded in February 2022.
Zelensky spoke of unity and insisted the country “will not let Ukrainian independence slip out of Ukrainian hands.” People walked through the streets dressed in vyshyvankas — traditional embroidered shirts — and visited a new display of seized Russian military hardware.
Read the full story here.
he 6-year-old boy walked up to President Volodymyr Zelensky, his small hands outstretched to accept a medal on behalf of his father — a Ukrainian soldier killed in action last year.
It was a quiet moment that seemed to convey the grief of all of Ukraine as the country marked 32 years of independence on Thursday with a somber morning ceremony outside one of Kyiv’s most famous cathedrals. Thursday also marked the 18-month anniversary of the war, and the mood in the capital felt more subdued than celebratory, as soldiers and civilians reflected on the loss and violence that have defined their world since Russia invaded in February 2022.
Zelensky spoke of unity and insisted the country “will not let Ukrainian independence slip out of Ukrainian hands.” People walked through the streets dressed in vyshyvankas — traditional embroidered shirts — and visited a new display of seized Russian military hardware.
Read the full story here.
Russian plane crash debris points away from accident, experts say
Aviation experts broadly agreed Thursday that the business jet reportedly carrying Wagner Group leader Yevgeniy Prigozhin and other top members of the mercenary outfit experienced a catastrophic structural failure when it crashed Wednesday and evidence points away from a simple mechanical problem or human error.
But experts also cautioned that it’s too early and evidence is too limited to conclusively explain what happened. The crash’s cause might not ever be conclusively known.
Two U.S. officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss preliminary findings, told The Washington Post on Thursday that early intelligence pointed to the possibility of an onboard explosion. They said there is no indication so far that the aircraft was downed by a missile.
Read the full story here.
Aviation experts broadly agreed Thursday that the business jet reportedly carrying Wagner Group leader Yevgeniy Prigozhin and other top members of the mercenary outfit experienced a catastrophic structural failure when it crashed Wednesday and evidence points away from a simple mechanical problem or human error.
But experts also cautioned that it’s too early and evidence is too limited to conclusively explain what happened. The crash’s cause might not ever be conclusively known.
Two U.S. officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss preliminary findings, told The Washington Post on Thursday that early intelligence pointed to the possibility of an onboard explosion. They said there is no indication so far that the aircraft was downed by a missile.
Read the full story here.
‘General Armageddon’ replaced in Russia, state media reports
Russian Gen. Sergei Surovikin, who once led the overall operation in Ukraine and is known by the grim nickname “General Armageddon” for his effectiveness, has been removed from his position as Air Force commander in an apparent Kremlin purge of officials with links to the Wagner mercenary group that staged a short-lived rebellion in late June.
On Wednesday, state news agency RIA Novosti cited “an informed source” who said Surovikin had been “relieved of his post” and replaced by Col. Gen. Viktor Afzalov, the Air Force chief of staff, marking the first time official Russian sources reported on Surovikin’s status.
For weeks, speculation swirled about the general’s whereabouts, as he has not been seen since he recorded an address urging Wagner mercenary boss Yevgeniy Prigozhin, whose bitter feud with Russian top brass has spilled into open confrontation, to stop his fighters from marching on Moscow on June 24.
Read the full story here.
Russian Gen. Sergei Surovikin, who once led the overall operation in Ukraine and is known by the grim nickname “General Armageddon” for his effectiveness, has been removed from his position as Air Force commander in an apparent Kremlin purge of officials with links to the Wagner mercenary group that staged a short-lived rebellion in late June.
On Wednesday, state news agency RIA Novosti cited “an informed source” who said Surovikin had been “relieved of his post” and replaced by Col. Gen. Viktor Afzalov, the Air Force chief of staff, marking the first time official Russian sources reported on Surovikin’s status.
For weeks, speculation swirled about the general’s whereabouts, as he has not been seen since he recorded an address urging Wagner mercenary boss Yevgeniy Prigozhin, whose bitter feud with Russian top brass has spilled into open confrontation, to stop his fighters from marching on Moscow on June 24.
Read the full story here.
Kremlin dismisses as ‘lies’ speculation linking it to Prigozhin death
The Kremlin dismissed rampant speculation that it had ordered the killing of Wagner mercenary chief Yevgeniy Prigozhin as “all lies,” stating that an investigation was underway to establish the cause.
After President Vladimir Putin on Thursday referred to Prigozhin in the past tense as a “talented man” who “made mistakes,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov talked about the “tragic deaths” of the passengers of the Embraer jet that crashed Wednesday in the Tver region of Russia, “including Yevgeniy Prigozhin.” All 10 people onboard died, including three crew members.
“We need to cover this topic based on facts,” Peskov said condemning what he called “lies” about the incident in the West. “There are not many facts. They are to be found out in the course of investigative actions. Yesterday the president said he was waiting for the results of the investigation, which will be completed in the foreseeable future.”
Read the full story here.
The Kremlin dismissed rampant speculation that it had ordered the killing of Wagner mercenary chief Yevgeniy Prigozhin as “all lies,” stating that an investigation was underway to establish the cause.
After President Vladimir Putin on Thursday referred to Prigozhin in the past tense as a “talented man” who “made mistakes,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov talked about the “tragic deaths” of the passengers of the Embraer jet that crashed Wednesday in the Tver region of Russia, “including Yevgeniy Prigozhin.” All 10 people onboard died, including three crew members.
“We need to cover this topic based on facts,” Peskov said condemning what he called “lies” about the incident in the West. “There are not many facts. They are to be found out in the course of investigative actions. Yesterday the president said he was waiting for the results of the investigation, which will be completed in the foreseeable future.”
Read the full story here.
Here is the latest from Ukraine:
- The Kremlin dismissed speculation that it ordered the killing of Wagner mercenary chief Yevgeniy Prigozhin as “all lies,” after Western analysts and officials suggested that the crash of a plane whose passenger list included Prigozhin’s name was likely an assassination planned by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
- Russia’s deputy foreign minister criticized President Biden for implying that Putin may have been behind Prigozhin’s presumed death.
- Yan Petrovsky, a Wagner-affiliated fighter under U.S. and E.U. sanctions, was detained in Finland on Friday at the request of Ukraine.
- It is “highly likely” that Prigozhin is dead, although there is no “definitive proof,” Britain’s Defense Ministry said Friday.
- Norway will give a number of F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store said, without specifying how many.
- Ukraine is seeking armored medical evacuation vehicles from its supporters, Zelensky said.
More live updates here.
- The Kremlin dismissed speculation that it ordered the killing of Wagner mercenary chief Yevgeniy Prigozhin as “all lies,” after Western analysts and officials suggested that the crash of a plane whose passenger list included Prigozhin’s name was likely an assassination planned by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
- Russia’s deputy foreign minister criticized President Biden for implying that Putin may have been behind Prigozhin’s presumed death.
- Yan Petrovsky, a Wagner-affiliated fighter under U.S. and E.U. sanctions, was detained in Finland on Friday at the request of Ukraine.
- It is “highly likely” that Prigozhin is dead, although there is no “definitive proof,” Britain’s Defense Ministry said Friday.
- Norway will give a number of F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store said, without specifying how many.
- Ukraine is seeking armored medical evacuation vehicles from its supporters, Zelensky said.
More live updates here.
Here is the latest from Ukraine:
- Experts cautioned that it is too early to definitively say what could have led to the plane crash and that evidence remains limited. Early assessments by U.S. officials suggest the possibility of an onboard explosion, The Post reported.
- Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko claimed that he had warned Prigozhin about a threat to his life if he continued his march to Moscow during a short-lived mutiny in June, according to state news agency BelTA.
- The Kremlin dismissed speculation from Western analysts and officials that Prigozhin was likely assassinated on the direction of Russian President Vladimir Putin, without confirming Prigozhin’s death.
- President Biden said he was not surprised by Prigozhin’s presumed death, adding that he was not at liberty to speak about what brought down the plane.
More live updates here.
- Experts cautioned that it is too early to definitively say what could have led to the plane crash and that evidence remains limited. Early assessments by U.S. officials suggest the possibility of an onboard explosion, The Post reported.
- Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko claimed that he had warned Prigozhin about a threat to his life if he continued his march to Moscow during a short-lived mutiny in June, according to state news agency BelTA.
- The Kremlin dismissed speculation from Western analysts and officials that Prigozhin was likely assassinated on the direction of Russian President Vladimir Putin, without confirming Prigozhin’s death.
- President Biden said he was not surprised by Prigozhin’s presumed death, adding that he was not at liberty to speak about what brought down the plane.
More live updates here.
What happens to Wagner after Prigozhin’s presumed death?
The apparent deaths of Wagner chief Yevgeniy Prigozhin and two top lieutenants in a plane crash Wednesday have brought the mercenary group that for a decade fought to advance the Kremlin’s goals in Ukraine and beyond closer to an end — the main question left being which remnants of its once-sprawling empire will Russian President Vladimir Putin take over.
The group, which has sent personnel to prop up authoritarian regimes or fight rebel groups in the Central African Republic, Mali, Syria, Libya, and Sudan, has been under pressure since Prigozhin launched a short-lived mutiny against Moscow in June. The warlord’s vast network of operatives and contracts in Africa have posed a diplomatic quandary for the Kremlin, which has been attempting to untangle itself from him without breaking promises made to its allies on the continent.
Read the full story here.
The apparent deaths of Wagner chief Yevgeniy Prigozhin and two top lieutenants in a plane crash Wednesday have brought the mercenary group that for a decade fought to advance the Kremlin’s goals in Ukraine and beyond closer to an end — the main question left being which remnants of its once-sprawling empire will Russian President Vladimir Putin take over.
The group, which has sent personnel to prop up authoritarian regimes or fight rebel groups in the Central African Republic, Mali, Syria, Libya, and Sudan, has been under pressure since Prigozhin launched a short-lived mutiny against Moscow in June. The warlord’s vast network of operatives and contracts in Africa have posed a diplomatic quandary for the Kremlin, which has been attempting to untangle itself from him without breaking promises made to its allies on the continent.
Read the full story here.
Nazis massacred his Ukrainian village in World War II. He fears Russia now.
Fedir Bovkun narrowly escaped death when German soldiers massacred hundreds of people during World War II here along the border with Belarus.
Bovkun was 6 years old when Germans herded villagers into a barn and set it on fire fas reprisal for attacks by Ukrainian partisans. Though several of Bovkun’s family members perished, he and his mother scrambled through the flames and hid in a nearby rye field.
His wife, Maria, also survived the July 1943 massacre. She was then only 2 years old, however, and so remembers only stories of how an aunt grabbed her and fled into the forest.
Now, the Bovkuns fear a military attack again, this time from Russia and Wagner Group mercenaries who relocated to Belarus, whose border is less than two miles from their village.
Read the full story here.
Fedir Bovkun narrowly escaped death when German soldiers massacred hundreds of people during World War II here along the border with Belarus.
Bovkun was 6 years old when Germans herded villagers into a barn and set it on fire fas reprisal for attacks by Ukrainian partisans. Though several of Bovkun’s family members perished, he and his mother scrambled through the flames and hid in a nearby rye field.
His wife, Maria, also survived the July 1943 massacre. She was then only 2 years old, however, and so remembers only stories of how an aunt grabbed her and fled into the forest.
Now, the Bovkuns fear a military attack again, this time from Russia and Wagner Group mercenaries who relocated to Belarus, whose border is less than two miles from their village.
Read the full story here.
Yevgeniy Prigozhin, Russian mercenary leader who became Putin foe
Yevgeniy Prigozhin, a onetime ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin who amassed oligarchic wealth by building a mercenary army that served the Russian state, only to gamble it all with a stunning but failed mutiny in June amid the war in Ukraine, is presumed to have died Aug. 23 in a plane crash northwest of Moscow. He was 62.
Putin appeared to acknowledge Mr. Prigozhin’s death in televised remarks Aug. 24, when he expressed his condolences to the families of the people killed in the crash. Mr. Prigozhin’s name had appeared on the plane’s manifest. Putin spoke of Mr. Prigozhin in the past tense, describing him as “a man of complex fate” who “made serious mistakes in his life.”
The U.S. intelligence community believes Mr. Prigozhin “likely” died in the crash and is exploring the possibility an explosion brought down his plane.
Read the full story here.
Yevgeniy Prigozhin, a onetime ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin who amassed oligarchic wealth by building a mercenary army that served the Russian state, only to gamble it all with a stunning but failed mutiny in June amid the war in Ukraine, is presumed to have died Aug. 23 in a plane crash northwest of Moscow. He was 62.
Putin appeared to acknowledge Mr. Prigozhin’s death in televised remarks Aug. 24, when he expressed his condolences to the families of the people killed in the crash. Mr. Prigozhin’s name had appeared on the plane’s manifest. Putin spoke of Mr. Prigozhin in the past tense, describing him as “a man of complex fate” who “made serious mistakes in his life.”
The U.S. intelligence community believes Mr. Prigozhin “likely” died in the crash and is exploring the possibility an explosion brought down his plane.
Read the full story here.
Here is the latest from Ukraine:
- President Biden said the United States was trying to determine the cause of the plane crash in Russia which is thought to have killed Wagner Group chief Yevgeniy Prigozhin.
- Aviation experts said the plane crash points away from mechanical problem or human error, but they cautioned in interviews with The Washington Post that there was not enough evidence available to make a definitive conclusion.
- The Kremlin dismissed speculation that Prigozhin was likely assassinated on the direction of Russian President Vladimir Putin, without confirming the Wagner leader’s death.
- Journalist Evan Gershkovich has appealed a Moscow court’s decision to extend his detention through November, according to Russian state news site Tass.
More live updates here.
- President Biden said the United States was trying to determine the cause of the plane crash in Russia which is thought to have killed Wagner Group chief Yevgeniy Prigozhin.
- Aviation experts said the plane crash points away from mechanical problem or human error, but they cautioned in interviews with The Washington Post that there was not enough evidence available to make a definitive conclusion.
- The Kremlin dismissed speculation that Prigozhin was likely assassinated on the direction of Russian President Vladimir Putin, without confirming the Wagner leader’s death.
- Journalist Evan Gershkovich has appealed a Moscow court’s decision to extend his detention through November, according to Russian state news site Tass.
More live updates here.
Here is the latest from Ukraine:
- Lukashenko claimed he had told Prigozhin that he could guarantee his “full security” by speaking with Putin and extracting him to Belarus, but that the mercenary group leader never took up his offer, according to a report published Friday in Belarusian state news agency BelTA.
- Evidence does not suggest a simple mechanical problem or human error caused the plane crash, aviation experts told The Washington Post.
- Three Ukrainian pilots were killed in a midair collision during a combat mission Friday, government authorities said.
- At least four people were killed in attacks across Ukraine in the past day, including two in the Kharkiv region, one in the Kherson region and one in the Zaporizhzhia region.
- Ukrainian and Russian sea and air forces have had several confrontations “around strategically important gas and oil platforms” in the Black Sea, the British Defense Ministry.
More live updates here.
- Lukashenko claimed he had told Prigozhin that he could guarantee his “full security” by speaking with Putin and extracting him to Belarus, but that the mercenary group leader never took up his offer, according to a report published Friday in Belarusian state news agency BelTA.
- Evidence does not suggest a simple mechanical problem or human error caused the plane crash, aviation experts told The Washington Post.
- Three Ukrainian pilots were killed in a midair collision during a combat mission Friday, government authorities said.
- At least four people were killed in attacks across Ukraine in the past day, including two in the Kharkiv region, one in the Kherson region and one in the Zaporizhzhia region.
- Ukrainian and Russian sea and air forces have had several confrontations “around strategically important gas and oil platforms” in the Black Sea, the British Defense Ministry.
More live updates here.
Before Prigozhin plane crash, Russia was preparing for life after Wagner
RIGA, Latvia — With Wagner boss Yevgeniy Prigozhin and two of the group’s other key leaders presumed dead, a power vacuum has opened, leaving the Kremlin, internal Wagner factions and outside paramilitary forces to jockey for control of a lucrative but opaque global empire.
Prigozhin styled himself as the group’s irreplaceable leader, at the center of an intricate web of mercenaries, mining companies, political consultants and disinformation operatives.
Yet one high-ranking Wagner insider, Andrei Troshev, has emerged as a potential contender to run what’s left of the group. A former lieutenant colonel in Russia’s ministry of internal affairs, Troshev is believed to have been the main liaison between Prigozhin and the Defense Ministry during the war in Ukraine. And he is one of the few public figures within Wagner who was not listed on the passenger manifest of the plane that went down on Wednesday.
Read the full story here.
RIGA, Latvia — With Wagner boss Yevgeniy Prigozhin and two of the group’s other key leaders presumed dead, a power vacuum has opened, leaving the Kremlin, internal Wagner factions and outside paramilitary forces to jockey for control of a lucrative but opaque global empire.
Prigozhin styled himself as the group’s irreplaceable leader, at the center of an intricate web of mercenaries, mining companies, political consultants and disinformation operatives.
Yet one high-ranking Wagner insider, Andrei Troshev, has emerged as a potential contender to run what’s left of the group. A former lieutenant colonel in Russia’s ministry of internal affairs, Troshev is believed to have been the main liaison between Prigozhin and the Defense Ministry during the war in Ukraine. And he is one of the few public figures within Wagner who was not listed on the passenger manifest of the plane that went down on Wednesday.
Read the full story here.
U.S. says it will train Ukrainian pilots to fly F-16s in Arizona
The United States will begin instructing Ukrainian pilots in flying F-16 aircraft in Arizona this fall, the Pentagon said Thursday, as the Biden administration moves to expand the U.S. role in the fighter jet training program amid intensified pleas from Kyiv.
Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder, the Pentagon press secretary, said the training at Morris Air National Guard Base near Tucson, led by the Air National Guard’s 162nd Wing, was expected to begin in October.
He said the training would involve dozens of Ukrainian maintenance personnel and at least several pilots, who will first undergo English language training at another base in Texas in September, but exact numbers have yet to be determined.
Read the full story here.
The United States will begin instructing Ukrainian pilots in flying F-16 aircraft in Arizona this fall, the Pentagon said Thursday, as the Biden administration moves to expand the U.S. role in the fighter jet training program amid intensified pleas from Kyiv.
Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder, the Pentagon press secretary, said the training at Morris Air National Guard Base near Tucson, led by the Air National Guard’s 162nd Wing, was expected to begin in October.
He said the training would involve dozens of Ukrainian maintenance personnel and at least several pilots, who will first undergo English language training at another base in Texas in September, but exact numbers have yet to be determined.
Read the full story here.
Russia confirms Wagner chief Prigozhin’s death after DNA tests
Russian investigators confirmed Sunday that Wagner mercenary leader Yevgeniy Prigozhin and top leaders of the group were killed when his plane crashed in the Tver region of Russia, announcing the results of DNA testing on the bodies of victims.
Russia’s Investigative Committee said it was continuing its investigation into the causes of the crash, although Western analysts believe the true cause may never be known because of Russia’s opaque and often politicized investigations system.
All 10 people onboard, including Wagner military commander Dmitry Utkin, were killed in the crash Wednesday. The U.S. intelligence community is examining the possibility that an explosion brought down the plane, with many in Russia’s elite convinced Prigozhin’s death was an assassination ordered by the Kremlin.
Read the full story here.
Russian investigators confirmed Sunday that Wagner mercenary leader Yevgeniy Prigozhin and top leaders of the group were killed when his plane crashed in the Tver region of Russia, announcing the results of DNA testing on the bodies of victims.
Russia’s Investigative Committee said it was continuing its investigation into the causes of the crash, although Western analysts believe the true cause may never be known because of Russia’s opaque and often politicized investigations system.
All 10 people onboard, including Wagner military commander Dmitry Utkin, were killed in the crash Wednesday. The U.S. intelligence community is examining the possibility that an explosion brought down the plane, with many in Russia’s elite convinced Prigozhin’s death was an assassination ordered by the Kremlin.
Read the full story here.
Opinion | Vladimir Kara-Murza: Many Russians refuse to become silent accomplices to Putin’s war — at great cost
PRETRIAL DETENTION CENTER NO. 5, MOSCOW — Among the most difficult aspects of imprisonment — after forced separation from family and the daily humiliation of not being able to control your own movements, except for walking back and forth in a tiny prison cell — is the inability to see or speak to people you care about.
So it was a special treat for me when the First General Court of Appeals in Moscow, which on July 31 finalized my 25-year prison sentence for speaking out against Vladimir Putin and his war on Ukraine, decided to open its doors for the announcement of the ruling.
Read the full opinion here.
PRETRIAL DETENTION CENTER NO. 5, MOSCOW — Among the most difficult aspects of imprisonment — after forced separation from family and the daily humiliation of not being able to control your own movements, except for walking back and forth in a tiny prison cell — is the inability to see or speak to people you care about.
So it was a special treat for me when the First General Court of Appeals in Moscow, which on July 31 finalized my 25-year prison sentence for speaking out against Vladimir Putin and his war on Ukraine, decided to open its doors for the announcement of the ruling.
Read the full opinion here.
Here is the latest from Ukraine:
- Russia’s Investigative Committee confirmed Sunday that Yevgeniy Prigozhin was killed in a plane crash last week outside Moscow, ending days of fevered speculation about the fate of the Wagner Group leader.
- Fiona Hill, a National Security Council official in the Trump administration, told CBS News that Prigohzin’s death was probably a retaliatory measure after his mutinous march toward Moscow in June.
- Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said he had warned Prigozhin about his safety at least twice, Belarusian state news agency BelTA reported.
- Three Ukrainian pilots were killed in a midair collision during a combat mission Friday, government authorities said.
- Ukrainian officials claimed to have thwarted an attempted Russian attack overnight on Ukraine’s capital.
- Four more military officers in Ukraine have been detained as part of a corruption investigation, Ukraine’s Security Service said on Telegram.
More live updates here.
- Russia’s Investigative Committee confirmed Sunday that Yevgeniy Prigozhin was killed in a plane crash last week outside Moscow, ending days of fevered speculation about the fate of the Wagner Group leader.
- Fiona Hill, a National Security Council official in the Trump administration, told CBS News that Prigohzin’s death was probably a retaliatory measure after his mutinous march toward Moscow in June.
- Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said he had warned Prigozhin about his safety at least twice, Belarusian state news agency BelTA reported.
- Three Ukrainian pilots were killed in a midair collision during a combat mission Friday, government authorities said.
- Ukrainian officials claimed to have thwarted an attempted Russian attack overnight on Ukraine’s capital.
- Four more military officers in Ukraine have been detained as part of a corruption investigation, Ukraine’s Security Service said on Telegram.
More live updates here.
Here's the latest from Ukraine:
- The death of Yevgeniy Prigozhin, the leader of the Wagner Group paramilitary force, in a plane crash outside Moscow last week has been confirmed by Russia’s Investigative Committee. The investigation will continue to probe the cause of the crash, the committee said, but Western analysts say the true cause may never be known because of opaque and often politicized investigations in Russia.
- U.N. investigators will visit Ukraine on Monday to probe alleged human rights violations and abuses. The members of the U.N. Independent International Commission of Inquiry will visit Uman and Kyiv, among other locations, before presenting their findings next month.
- Two people were killed after a factory was struck by a Russian missile, the acting governor of Poltava region, Dmytro Lunin, said Monday morning local time. Two others were hospitalized and two more people may be stuck under the rubble, he said.
More live updates here.
- The death of Yevgeniy Prigozhin, the leader of the Wagner Group paramilitary force, in a plane crash outside Moscow last week has been confirmed by Russia’s Investigative Committee. The investigation will continue to probe the cause of the crash, the committee said, but Western analysts say the true cause may never be known because of opaque and often politicized investigations in Russia.
- U.N. investigators will visit Ukraine on Monday to probe alleged human rights violations and abuses. The members of the U.N. Independent International Commission of Inquiry will visit Uman and Kyiv, among other locations, before presenting their findings next month.
- Two people were killed after a factory was struck by a Russian missile, the acting governor of Poltava region, Dmytro Lunin, said Monday morning local time. Two others were hospitalized and two more people may be stuck under the rubble, he said.
More live updates here.
What we know about the Russian plane crash that killed Prigozhin
An Embraer business jet crashed on Aug. 23 north of Moscow near Russia’s Tver region, killing all 10 people on board, Russian authorities said. Among them: Yevgeniy Prigozhin, the chief of Russia’s Wagner mercenary group, who led a short but dramatic rebellion against the Kremlin in July.
Prigozhin was presumed dead for several days while authorities recovered the bodies from the crash site, although Russian President Vladimir Putin appeared to eulogize him the day after the crash, saying he was a “talented man” who “made serious mistakes.” It wasn’t until Sunday that Russia’s Investigative Committee confirmed his death, citing DNA test results. Other top Wagner leaders were also killed in the crash.
The committee said it is still investigating why the plane went down — but Western analysts say any Russian-led inquiry will probably be opaque and politicized. The true cause of the crash may never be known.
Here is what we know.
An Embraer business jet crashed on Aug. 23 north of Moscow near Russia’s Tver region, killing all 10 people on board, Russian authorities said. Among them: Yevgeniy Prigozhin, the chief of Russia’s Wagner mercenary group, who led a short but dramatic rebellion against the Kremlin in July.
Prigozhin was presumed dead for several days while authorities recovered the bodies from the crash site, although Russian President Vladimir Putin appeared to eulogize him the day after the crash, saying he was a “talented man” who “made serious mistakes.” It wasn’t until Sunday that Russia’s Investigative Committee confirmed his death, citing DNA test results. Other top Wagner leaders were also killed in the crash.
The committee said it is still investigating why the plane went down — but Western analysts say any Russian-led inquiry will probably be opaque and politicized. The true cause of the crash may never be known.
Here is what we know.
Wagner chief Prigozhin’s lingering popularity a challenge for Putin
Russians mourning the death of Wagner chief Yevgeniy Prigozhin have set up makeshift memorials in nearly two dozen cities across Russia and occupied Ukraine in recent days, a sign of the commander’s lingering popularity and a potential challenge for President Vladimir Putin amid divisions within the elite and in the military over the conduct of the war.
Prigozhin and other top Wagner leaders were killed after his Embraer business jet crashed Wednesday evening northwest of Moscow, just two months after Putin branded him a traitor for leading a short-lived rebellion against Russia’s military in June.
The memorials nonetheless showed Prigozhin’s support across Russia in hard line pro-war circles, and highlighted the Kremlin’s delicate task of managing potential anger among his supporters, with many in Russia’s elite convinced that Prigozhin’s death was an assassination ordered by the Kremlin.
Read the full story here.
Russians mourning the death of Wagner chief Yevgeniy Prigozhin have set up makeshift memorials in nearly two dozen cities across Russia and occupied Ukraine in recent days, a sign of the commander’s lingering popularity and a potential challenge for President Vladimir Putin amid divisions within the elite and in the military over the conduct of the war.
Prigozhin and other top Wagner leaders were killed after his Embraer business jet crashed Wednesday evening northwest of Moscow, just two months after Putin branded him a traitor for leading a short-lived rebellion against Russia’s military in June.
The memorials nonetheless showed Prigozhin’s support across Russia in hard line pro-war circles, and highlighted the Kremlin’s delicate task of managing potential anger among his supporters, with many in Russia’s elite convinced that Prigozhin’s death was an assassination ordered by the Kremlin.
Read the full story here.
Putin, stained by Prigozhin’s death, faces calls for military funeral
The Kremlin said a decision on the funerals of Wagner chief Yevgeniy Prigozhin, mercenary commander Dmitry Utkin and other members of the group rested largely with their families, after patriotic hard-liners called for Prigozhin to be buried with full military honors, in a sign of the ongoing fissures in Russia over the war in Ukraine.
Prigozhin, Utkin and others in their entourage were killed when their private jet crashed last week following what Western intelligence agencies assessed to be an onboard explosion. Russian investigators said they had confirmed Prigozhin’s death using DNA.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that no decision had been made on the funerals or whether President Vladimir Putin would attend. The questions highlighted continuing divisions in Russia’s elite over the war, and the risks posed by hard-line pro-war “turbo-patriots” who have demanded a harsher approach against Ukraine.
Read the full story here.
The Kremlin said a decision on the funerals of Wagner chief Yevgeniy Prigozhin, mercenary commander Dmitry Utkin and other members of the group rested largely with their families, after patriotic hard-liners called for Prigozhin to be buried with full military honors, in a sign of the ongoing fissures in Russia over the war in Ukraine.
Prigozhin, Utkin and others in their entourage were killed when their private jet crashed last week following what Western intelligence agencies assessed to be an onboard explosion. Russian investigators said they had confirmed Prigozhin’s death using DNA.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that no decision had been made on the funerals or whether President Vladimir Putin would attend. The questions highlighted continuing divisions in Russia’s elite over the war, and the risks posed by hard-line pro-war “turbo-patriots” who have demanded a harsher approach against Ukraine.
Read the full story here.