What You Need To Know:
Russian mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin was laid to rest today in a St. Petersburg cemetery.
A Telegram channel affiliated with Prigozhin posted, “The farewell to Yevgeny Viktorovich took place in a closed format. Those who wish to say goodbye may visit Porokhovskoye cemetery”
The Details:
Prigozhin, along with two top associates from his Wagner group and four bodyguards, were among the casualties in an plane crash near Moscow last week. His death arrived exactly two months after his brief mutiny against the Russian Ministry of Defense.
Russian security forces attended the funeral.
According to independent news outlet Agentstvo, the ceremony was attended by 20 to 30 friends and family members, and lasted 40 minutes. The low-key nature of the funeral prevented the event from evolving into a large-scale public tribute to Prigozhin.
The Kremlin has dismissed accusations, that Putin played a role in Prigozhin’s death, denouncing it as an “absolute lie.”
After Prigozhin’s death, Putin mandated Wagner fighters to pledge allegiance to the Russian state—something Prigozhin opposed.
Investigators disclosed on Sunday that genetic testing had conclusively identified the victims of the crash, including two pilots and a flight attendant, alongside Prigozhin and his associates.
Earlier on the same day, Valery Chekalov, head of Wagner’s logistical operations, was laid to rest in another St. Petersburg cemetery. His funeral was attended by a multitude, including individuals Reuters identified as Wagner mercenaries and personnel from Prigozhin’s business network.
