Vladimir Putin would probably rather see his former favorite and recently embittered adversary, Yevgeny Prigozhin, quickly forgotten. But even after his death, the mercenary boss causes a stir. Because even in Russia there are now voices demanding at least details about Prigozhin’s funeral. And Putin could find himself in the awkward position of paying his last respects to his opponent…
The Kremlin is still silent about the funeral of Wagner boss Prigozchin. “I have no information about the funeral yet,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov told reporters Monday, according to the Interfax bureau, which asked about the burial of the ten victims of last Wednesday’s plane crash. “Once a decision is made, it will likely be made public,” Peskow added.
Even in Russia they don’t believe in an accident
The plane, which Russian authorities said was carrying Prigozhin, crashed in the Tver region about halfway between Moscow and Saint Petersburg. Officially, the cause of the crash has not yet been clarified. However, large parts of the Russian public, as well as Western governments, assume that the Wagner boss’s private jet was deliberately shot down.
Versions still circulate that an onboard explosive or possibly an accidentally detonated grenade could have crashed the Embraer. Or was it a targeted attack with an anti-aircraft missile?
Wagner boss had many enemies
The only thing that is clear is that Prigozhin had many enemies – and with his uprising against the Russian military leadership on 23/24. June Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin was the most powerful opponent. Even days after the plane crashed, the majority of political observers assume that Putin in particular had an interest in getting rid of the harsh critic of Russia’s warfare in Ukraine. Putin himself followed suit, accusing his former confidant of “serious mistakes” even after his end.
The Kremlin denies having anything to do with the deaths of Prigozhin and the other six members of Wagner’s private army and the plane’s three crew members. However, comments from independent Russian media repeatedly refer to a “cold-blooded, public execution.” The fact that Prigozhin was on the same plane with Wagner commander Dmitri Utkin and other key representatives and did not travel separately is explained by some observers as saying that the businessman considered himself “untouchable” and thus overestimated his position. That made him careless.
“Properties of a Mafia State”
The Russian political analyst Alexander Baunow sees a punishment pattern in the American think tank Carnegie that is typical of dictatorships and even ‘characteristics of a mafia state’. Under Soviet dictator Josef Stalin, it was already customary to “approach the enemy/traitor before destruction” and give the impression that all was forgiven. After Prigozhin’s uprising, Putin met with him and the Wagner commanders in the Kremlin.
“It’s like in Mafia movies: the enemy groups and their bosses get together and then shoot at each other,” Baunow wrote. Putin has remained in power for 24 years because he has repeatedly eliminated every threat.
Should Putin attend Prigozhin’s funeral?
Kremlin spokesman Peskov did not answer whether Russian President Vladimir Putin would attend the funeral. It is also being puzzled how large the funeral will be, which, according to Russian Orthodox tradition, should have taken place a few days after the death. Prigozhin once received the Order of Hero of Russia.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
