China News Network, August 8 On the 24rd local time, a private jet crash occurred in Tver Oblast, Russia. According to information released by the Russian Federal Air Transport Agency, the list of passengers on board includes Yevgeny Prigozhin, founder of the Wagner organization, a Russian private military entity.
Prigozhin, once known as "Putin's cook," rose to prominence again two months ago for starting an "insurgency." The mysterious Wagner organization also surfaced.
What has the Prigozhin and Wagner organizations gone through in these two months?
Infographic: Prigozhin.
June 6
Prigozhin, founder of the Russian company Wagner Mercenaries, said that Russian Defense Ministry troops attacked the Wagner mercenary camp, and he promised to respond. Prigozhin said he was ready to back down and sign a contract with the Russian Defense Ministry.
The Russian Ministry of Defense stated that all the news and videos circulating on social networks in the name of Prigozhin about the "Russian Ministry of Defense attacking the Wagner mercenary camp" were false.
On the evening of June 6
Prigozhin ordered his armed group to march towards Rostov-on-Don, the capital of Russia's Rostov region.
Russia's National Counter-Terrorism Committee said that the Russian Federal Security Service opened a criminal case against Prigozhin's call for "rebellion" on the same day.
June 6
The Wagner organization announced the "bloodless occupation" of the headquarters of the Southern Russian Military District in Rostov-on-Don, the capital of the Rostov region, that is, the command center of the special military operation against Ukraine. Prigozhin demanded that the government of the Russian Federation hand over Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Army, Valery Gerasimov.
Russian law enforcement officers blocked the headquarters building of the Russian Wagner Organization in St. Petersburg. The Russian Defense Ministry called on Wagner soldiers to return to their stations, saying that "the safety of all will be guaranteed."
Moscow Mayor Sobyanin said that in view of the current security situation, Moscow has activated anti-terrorist measures.
Kadyrov, the leader of Russia's Chechen Republic, said Chechen troops were preparing to help quell the Wagner rebellion and that Chechen troops were moving into areas of tension.
On June 6, local time, Russian President Vladimir Putin delivered a national address, saying that Russia will never be allowed to repeat its division.
June 6 afternoon
Russian President Vladimir Putin gave a nationally televised address characterizing Prigozhin's actions as "sedition of armed rebellion."
After Putin briefed Lukashenko on the situation in Russia that morning, Lukashenko held a telephone conversation with Prigozhin, and Prigozhin accepted Lukashenko's mediation. The talks culminated in a consensus that "bloody massacres will not be allowed on Russian territory" and a beneficial and acceptable solution that provides security for Wagnerian armed personnel.
On the evening of June 6
Wagnerian forces have stopped their march through Russian territory and turned back to the field camp.
Infographic: Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu.
June 6
Russian media quoted sources in the Prosecutor General's Office of the Russian Federation as saying that the criminal case against Prigozhin, the founder of Wagner, has not yet been concluded.
The Russian Ministry of Defense released a video showing Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu inspecting a front-line command post of the Western Army, which was Shoigu's first appearance after the Wagner incident.
State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said the U.S. government "will seek to enforce the charges" if Prigozhin appears in a country that has extradition treaties with the United States.
June 6
Russia's Federal Security Service said that the criminal case against Prigozhin, the founder of the Wagner organization, has been officially dropped.
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said Prigozhin was now in Belarus and said he "provided security guarantees to Prigozhin."
June 6
In response to the US statement on the "extradition" of Prigozhin, the spokesman of the Russian Foreign Ministry said that Russia will not extradite any of its own citizens to other countries.
June 6
Russian President Vladimir Putin invited a total of 35 people, including Prigozhin and other Wagner commanders and members of the leadership, for about three hours.
June 7
British media quoted Grey Zone, a social platform channel close to Wagner, as saying that Prigozhin said in an audio, "Today, more than ever, we need your support." He said he believed that in the near future "we will see new victories on the front lines."
Image source: Screenshot of the video of the channel "Russia 1"
June 7
Russian media reported that a few days ago, Russian law enforcement searched Prigozhin's office. Law enforcement officers found wigs, cash and other items at the location.
June 7
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said Prigozhin is not currently in Belarus, but in St. Petersburg, Russia.
June 7
British media reported that Prigozhin welcomed the Wagner soldiers to Belarus in a video and said that these soldiers would no longer participate in the fighting in Ukraine. Prigozhin's press department forwarded the video to the Telegram social platform.
During the Russia-Africa summit in St. Petersburg, Prigozhin, the founder of Wagner, was photographed shaking hands with African representatives attending the meeting. (Image source: CNN video screenshot)
July 7
According to US media reports, during the second Russia-Africa Summit and Economic and Humanitarian Forum held from 27 to 28 local time, Prigozhin was photographed in St. Petersburg, and there were photos showing him shaking hands with African officials attending the meeting. This was Prigozhin's first public appearance in Russia after the Wagner incident.
July 8
According to information published in the Unified National Register of Enterprises of Belarusian Companies and Individuals, the Wagner Organization was registered as a "limited company" "engaged in educational activities" in the village of Zer, Osipovich region, Belarus. The village of Zeil is believed to be the base of armed Wagner Group elements in Belarus.
Image source: Screenshot of Wagner's social media accounts
June 8
Prigozhin posted a video speech on Wagner's social media accounts for the first time since the Wagner affair. British media said it was impossible to determine where and date the video was taken, but Prigozhin's comments and other information suggested that the video may have been filmed in Africa.
On August 8, local time, in Tver Oblast, Russia, rescuers worked at the crash site near the village of Kurenkino in the district.
June 8
The Russian Federal Air Transport Agency announced on the 23rd that the department has opened an investigation into the private jet crash that occurred in the Tver region on the same day. The list of passengers on board included Yevgeny Prigozhin, founder of the Wagner organization, a Russian private military entity.