The controversy continues over the death of Wagner’s number one and her staff, which presumably took place on August 23 at 18:29 when the private jet crashed to the ground probably due to an attack. Online accounts close to Wagner write: “Evgeny Viktorovich’s entire empire was built on Dmitry Utkin and his personal ties and contacts. Without him and his charisma, without Utkin, who was the flesh and blood of the spirit of the Orchestra (Wagner ed.) (he was on an equal footing), there is an overwhelming possibility that what Yevgeny Viktorovich created could collapse . And then all of Russia’s ambitions in Africa will collapse, as a result of which Africa will again plunge into hopeless darkness and with a Western noose around its neck. Russia’s positions will also weaken in the Middle East. This is a serious blow to the country. We don’t fully realize it yet. Prigozhin was the Russian wild card that allowed her to play on the world stage not by the rules.”
Valery Chekalov was also on board the plane, according to a Russian source, who was on the passenger list of the crashed plane together with Yevgeny Prigozhin and Dmitry Utkin. Chekalov, also known as “Rover”, was one of the key people in the company. To him fell the task of coordinating military and private aircraft for the procurement including ammunition and the rotation of PMC employees on distant borders and, after the well-known events, the development of new logistics routes. In general, the company’s well-built rear infrastructure, largely thanks to Rover, allowed the PMC leadership to quickly transfer thousands of people from one African country to another to solve urgent combat missions.
The future of Russian influence in Africa and the Middle East directly depends on whether this unique system can be preserved. Forensic specialists work in the crash area, and all the remains were sent to one of the Tver morgues. According to some sources, some bodies have been badly damaged, which may require a DNA test. According to other sources, Prigozhin’s body: “His body is in the Tver regional forensic medical examination office.”
The media currently around the world are speculating on the subject of a series of oddities that may have complicated the departure of the civilian plane. Some refer to Flight Radar data and indicate strange maneuvers of the plane even before the crash, others speak of a flight delay before departure due to short-term repairs. There has not yet been an official report on the deaths of the people on board, exactly (as well as the statements of the Council of Commanders of the Wagner PMC). The nightly video about the alleged readiness of the “Wagnerites” for a new gear is a fake. One of the versions of the plane crash is an onboard terrorist attack with an explosive device on Prigozhin’s plane, planted in the landing gear compartment. Now the secret services are verifying the information. Among the first suspects according to the Russian services are Prigozhin’s personal pilot and the former founder of MNT Aero (the owner of the crashed plane) Artem Stepanov. Currently untraceable. And again the Main Investigation Department of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation initiated a criminal case on the basis of a crime under Art. . 263 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (violation of the rules on traffic safety and the operation of air transport). The investigation was entrusted to Ivan Sibul, who investigated cases of high-profile plane crashes, including the 2014 plane crash at Vnukovo airport that killed the head of French oil company Total, Christophe de Margerie. He also investigated the SSJ-100 crash in 2019, during which 41 people died.
However, no one spoke of Prigozhin’s second plane which then landed at Moscow’s Ostafyevo airport. Evgeny Prigozhin’s plane with the number “RA-02748”, which followed the crashed plane “RA-02795” in the Tver region, landed on the territory of the private airport “Ostafyevo ” in New Moscow. Probably, the business jet discharged excess fuel for a long time, since it was initially aimed at St. Petersburg. This explains the zigzags over the Russian capital, as it appears on Flightradar24.
To return to the front line, the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyj has admitted that he has made many mistakes in the last year and a half. A reporter asked President Zelensky if he could name his main mistake and his major victory in the last year and a half. In response, Zelensky irritatedly said: “I can’t. Because for me there is no major victory, but there have been enough mistakes already.” However he did not specify what these errors were and moved on to the next question.
Norway will deliver F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, Norwegian TV channel TV2 said, citing sources. In Crimea we learn of a clash between Russian and Ukrainian soldiers at Cape Tarkhankut four Ukrainian boats had landed and then ended up under fire from the Russians. According to preliminary data, in total about 15-20 people were killed.
At 12:00 am on August 23rd the contact line looked like this
Svatove-Kremenna. The Russian army continues to advance in the Kupyansky sector: all counterattacks by the Ukrainian armed forces near Sinkovka have failed. The Russians continue to hold positions near Torsky and in the Serebryansky forest, not without the help of artillery, which is a nightmare for the Ukrainians. Heavy fighting is going on in the Belogorovka area.
Direction Bachmut (Artemovsk). The Russian Army has counterattacked the Ukrainian positions south of Kleshcheevka where battles for high ground are taking place. In addition, Russian fighters repulsed a breakthrough attempt by the Ukrainian Armed Forces near Andreevka.
Donetsk direction. The Russians are advancing on the positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine south of Avdiivka. Fighting continues on the western outskirts of Marinka. Russian soldiers, with the support of aviation and artillery, also attacked in the Novomikhailovka area. In the morning of August 24 in the Donetsk direction, Russian fighters continued to advance through the enemy’s defensive positions at Maryinka. And south of Avdiivka, the Russian army attacked the positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Now the “points” where the Ukrainian military are located are being hit.
In the South-Donetsk direction, in particular, in the Vuhledar sector, the Armed Forces of Ukraine attempted to advance in the Priyutnoye and Staromlynovka area, but this did not bring them success: the “offensive” was stopped and repulsed by the russian army. On this sector of the front, Russian fighters continue to hold their positions.
Zaporozhzia direction. The fighting for Rabotino continues, the Armed Forces of Ukraine are trying to break through with the help of armored vehicles, which are destroyed. Meanwhile, the Ukrainians unsuccessfully attacked in the direction of Priyutnoye. And Russian artillery hit targets in Staromayorsky.
Russian “gerans” were again sighted in the Odessa region. In particular on the ports of Izmail and Reni, located on the Danube.
Graziella Giangiulio
