A video of Russian mercenary boss Yevgeny Prigozhin appearing to be in Africa only days before his death has been released. In the video, he addresses speculation about his well-being and potential threats to his safety.
“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,” Prigozhin, who’s speaking from a moving vehicle, says. “So for people who like to discuss wiping me out, or my private life, how much I earn or whatever else — everything’s okay.”
The video was released by the Grey Zone Telegram channel, which is linked to Prigozhin’s Wagner Group. The location or the date of the video has not been verified, but the Wagner leader appears to be wearing the same military fatigues and watch in a video released on August 21. In the earlier video, he also says that he is in Africa.
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Following his description, the latest clip must have been filmed on August 19 or 20, just three or four days before he was killed when his private jet crashed north of Moscow on August 23.
The video shows that Prigozhin was aware of the risks to his life — almost exactly two months after he appeared to have walked away from leading a short-lived but history-making mutiny against Russian President Vladimir Putin in June.
Just hours before the fatal crash, a top Russian General, Sergei Surovikin, deputy commander of Russia’s military operations in Ukraine and commander of Russia’s aerospace forces — and reported Prigozhin ally — was relieved of his duties. Surovikin had reportedly been arrested and missing or not seen in public since late June.
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Analysts all around are saying that the mysterious crash was likely an assassination and that Prigozhin did not, in fact, walk away from his mutiny. But the Kremlin has rejected this notion, saying it’s an “absolute lie.” Too keep things interesting, they did say the investigation into the crash is examining the possibility of foul play.
The Kremlin only confirmed the death of Prigozhin and his companions after DNA results came out on August 27, four days after the crash. Among the 10 people killed was Dmitry Utkin, Prigozhin’s right-hand man who was instrumental in establishing and naming the Wagner group.
It is unclear why the video was released, or what it is trying to achieve. Just a day before, the Wagner leader was buried in his hometown of St. Petersburg.
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