A farewell service has been held for Yevgeny Prigozhin, the Russian mercenary chief, who lost his life in a plane crash recently, according to a report by the news agency AP. The service took place in Prigozhin’s hometown of St. Petersburg and was open for those who wished to pay their respects at the Porokhovskoye cemetery.
Notably, Russian President Vladimir Putin did not plan to attend Prigozhin’s funeral, as confirmed by the Kremlin. Prigozhin, aged 62, had previously challenged Putin’s authority through an armed rebellion in June. Prigozhin was known for his involvement in leading Wagner forces in Ukraine, and he was awarded Russia’s highest honor for his role in these activities.
Last week, Putin acknowledged the contribution of Wagner leaders to the conflict in Ukraine, describing Prigozhin as both a “talented businessman” and a “man of difficult fate” who had made significant mistakes in his life.
The official confirmation of Prigozhin’s death came from Russia’s top criminal investigation agency, the Investigative Committee. The plane crash occurred when Prigozhin’s business jet crashed shortly after takeoff from Moscow to St. Petersburg on August 23. The crash claimed the lives of several individuals, including Valery Chekalov, Wagner’s logistics chief, and Dmitry Utkin, Prigozhin’s second-in-command, who was also among the casualties.
Prigozhin’s death followed his role in an armed rebellion against the Russian military leadership, where he ordered his mercenaries to seize the military headquarters in Rostov-on-Don and initiated a march toward Moscow.
The plane crash and Prigozhin’s demise occurred just two months after his rebellion against the Russian military leadership, marking a significant turn of events in the realm of Russian mercenary activities. A Farewell service has will be organized as a mark of respect.