Prigozhin Addresses Assassination Rumors in 'Last' Video

Yevgeny Prigozhin, the late Wagner Group chief, filmed a proof-of-life video addressing assassination rumors in what is believed to be one of his last clips before he was killed in a plane crash on August 23.

On Wednesday, the Wagner-linked Telegram channel Grey Zone published a new video of the deceased leader, in which Prigozhin is wearing either the same or similar clothing as a prior clip reportedly filmed in Africa, which was released by the same channel two days before his death.

In the newly released video, Prigozhin dispelled rumors that he might have been killed in the aftermath of his failed mutiny which he led against the Kremlin's top brass on June 24. His mercenaries marched toward Moscow after taking control of the southern city of Rostov-on-Don, then turned back less than 24 hours after the mutiny had begun. Prigozhin was exiled to Belarus under a deal reportedly brokered by Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko.

Prigozhin's business jet crashed exactly two months to the day after he led the uprising against Russia's military leadership. The Kremlin said on August 27 that genetic tests confirmed Prigozhin was one of 10 people killed when an aircraft he owned that had been flying from Moscow to St. Petersburg crashed near the village of Kuzhenkino in Russia's Tver region on August 23.

"For those discussing whether I am alive or not, how I am doing. It's now the weekend, the second half of August 2023. I'm in Africa," said Prigozhin, suggesting that the video was filmed on either August 19 or 20—days before the jet crash.

"I'm still alive, despite your worst wishes, strictly speaking, everything is fine," Prigozhin added.

Aric Toler, an investigator with Bellingcat, a Netherlands-based OSINT (open source intelligence) outlet, said on X, formerly known as Twitter, that a recent video of Prigozhin is now circulating on Telegram, in which he is "wearing the same/similar gear as the other video of him in Africa."

"The video—assuming it isn't some elaborate deepfake—is from when he was in Africa shortly before his death, talking about how he is still alive and fine (a bit weird to hear now) on a weekend in the 'second half' of August. (He died on Wednesday, August 23rd).

"I haven't seen this video published anywhere before, and I can't find anyone who says they have seen it either. By all accounts it seems like it was filmed on August 19 or 20.

"And yes, this is Prigozhin's proof-of-life...video... filmed 3-4 days before he was assassinated," added Toler. It has not been proven if Prigozhin was "assassinated," as some have claimed.

Newsweek has contacted Russia's Foreign Ministry via email for comment and could not confirm the veracity of the video.

The cause of the crash wasn't immediately clear, although some, unconfirmed, reports suggest the jet was downed by Russian air defenses, while others claim there was an explosion onboard. Ukraine, where Wagner mercenaries had been heavily involved in the war's fighting, has denied responsibility. The Kremlin said speculation that Prigozhin had been killed on Putin's orders was an "absolute lie."

Tatiana Stanovaya, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center and founder of R. Politik Reality of Russian Politics, a political analysis company, told Newsweek the timing of Prigozhin's death was significant, as it allowed Putin to "dismantle Wagner and weaken it."

"The idea was using Prigozhin—who was convinced he was forgiven, and that the state still needed him—to get him engaged in Wagner to pass over heavy weapons to the Russian Defense Ministry, and then to move to Belarus, to calm down Wagner commanders, to gain time to collect information about what's going inside Wagner, who thinks what, whether there is discontent and potential for another mutiny."

Prigozhin was needed in order to facilitate Wagner's dismantling, and he then "lost any value for Putin," said Stanovaya.

Prigozhin's killing, said Stanovaya, was undoubtedly a "demonstrative move."

"It was done exactly to show Russian elites that such things like a mutiny can't be forgiven. It's not subject for a bargain. It's not the subject for any negotiations. It can't happen. If it happens, it will end very badly," she added.

Do you have a tip on a world news story that Newsweek should be covering? Do you have a question about the Russia-Ukraine war? Let us know via worldnews@newsweek.com.