The Kremlin on Wednesday said that investigators probing the jet crash which killed Wagner Group founder Yevgeny Prigozhin would consider the possibility that the aircraft was downed on purpose. The mercenary chief was aboard a Brazilian-made Embraer Legacy 600 when it plunged from the skies north of Moscow last week, killing Prigozhin and others on board. In the first explicit acknowledgement that Prigozhin may have been assassinated, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters when asked about the investigation: “It is obvious that different versions are being considered, including the version—you know what we are talking about—let’s say, a deliberate atrocity.” Peskov has previously denied that the Kremlin was involved in the mercenary boss’ death, which came two months to the day after Prigozhin launched a failed mutiny in Russia. Brazil’s aircraft investigation authority told Reuters that Russia would not permit a probe of the crash under international rules “at the moment,” with Peskov confirming “there can be no talk of any international” investigation while domestic authorities made inquiries.
