Vladimir Putin Reveals Discovery of Hand Grenade Fragments in Wagner Chief’s Body

President Vladimir Putin announced that explosive traces were found in the remains of Yevgeny Prigozhin, the chief of the Wagner mercenary group, and his crew after their plane crash in Russia. The incident occurred between Moscow and Saint Petersburg in August, following Prigozhin’s brief mutiny against Russia’s top military brass. Critics of the Kremlin and Western countries have suggested the possibility of foul play. Putin’s remarks provide the first significant update on Russia’s investigation into the crash. He stated that fragments of hand grenades were discovered in the victims’ bodies, indicating that there was no external impact on the plane. Russian investigators are exploring various scenarios, including the potential for premeditated murder. Putin criticized investigators for failing to conduct alcohol and drug tests on Prigozhin and the other victims. He also claimed that five kilograms of cocaine were found at the Wagner offices after the group’s rebellion. Prigozhin’s armed uprising in June posed a significant threat to Putin’s rule. Although the Kremlin has dismissed allegations of orchestrating the crash as revenge for Wagner’s actions, Russia has a history of mysterious deaths involving Kremlin opponents during Putin’s tenure.