Yevgeny Prigozhin's newly released video raises speculation of his survival
In a recently surfaced video, Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of the Wagner Group, can be seen discussing his purported survival of assassination attempts. This occurrence has intensified conjectures surrounding the possibility that the Russian figurehead might still be alive.
- World
- Agencies and A News
- Published Date: 10:31 | 31 August 2023
- Modified Date: 10:55 | 31 August 2023
The video was unveiled on Wednesday through a Telegram channel associated with Yevgeny Prigozhin's private military organization, a mere week following reports of his demise in a fiery plane crash.
In the footage, Prigozhin, 62, is seen clad in camouflage attire, including a matching hat, and wearing a watch on his right wrist that corresponds to his appearance in a video released on August 21, apparently filmed in Africa.
This earlier video had marked his first public appearance subsequent to his brief rebellion in June, which led President Vladimir Putin to label him a "traitor."
This video release occurred just days before the private jet crash that claimed his life, two days later, in the Tver region on August 23.
In the newly surfaced video, Prigozhin humorously addresses speculations about his well-being, stating: ''For those who are discussing whether I'm alive or not, how I'm doing — right now it's the weekend, second half of August 2023, I'm in Africa,"
"So for people who like to discuss my liquidation or my private life, how much I earn or whatever else — everything's OK," he adds with a dismissive wave of his hand.
The video's timing and Prigozhin's remarks pertaining to surviving "elimination" endeavors have only fueled the already prevalent suspicions of his potential survival.
Although the Grey Zone, the source of the video, hasn't explicitly suggested that Prigozhin is alive, the context of the release has further bolstered the widespread belief in this theory.
One notable proponent of this theory is Dr. Valery Solovey, a former professor at the esteemed Moscow State Institute of International Relations.
In a recent YouTube interview, Solovey echoed a widely circulated conspiracy that asserts Prigozhin wasn't aboard the ill-fated aircraft.
"His [body] double was flying instead of him. By the way, Vladimir Putin is perfectly aware of that," the analyst said in a recent YouTube interview, claiming that the real Wagner chief is "alive, well and free."