Putin Suggests Onboard Grenade Blast as Cause of Fatal Plane Crash

Russian President Vladimir Putin has claimed that the plane crash that killed Yevgeny Prigozhin, the boss of the Wagner mercenary group, was caused by hand grenades detonating inside the aircraft. Putin suggested that Prigozhin may have been on drugs and implied that alcohol and drugs could have played a role in the crash. Contradicting reports by western intelligence services, Putin stated that there was no external impact on the plane. He also mentioned that no examination was carried out to determine the presence of alcohol or drugs in the victims' blood. Putin described Russia's experience with Wagner as "clumsy" and stated that the group was not based on Russian law.