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Yevgeny Viktorovich Prigozhin might be alive, according to recent rumors going around the internet. The conspiracy first began when a video of the chief of Wagner private military company emerged on August 30, 2023, through a telegram channel previously linked with Yevgeny's group.
As per the New York Post, Prigozhin appears to be in a car in Africa, talking about him still being alive and well in the "second half of August." The clip was presumably recorded before the August 25, 2023, plane crash that took his life.
It is to be noted that the metadata of the video has been deleted as per Nexta TV. Netizens online are confused by the timing of the footage and doubting whether Yevgeny really died in Tver, Russia, last Friday.
New video raises doubts over the death of Yevgeny Prigozhin
On August 25, an aircraft crashed in the Tver Region, north of Moscow, Russia. As per BBC, 10 people were on board: seven passengers and three crew members. All of them died when the plane hit the ground, and their bodies were recovered by Russian officials.
Prigozhin, the leader of the military group Wagner, and his right-hand man Dmitry Utkin were also on the plane. Rumors erupted of the crash being orchestrated by Vladimir Putin. The Wagner chief and Putin were on bad terms over a staged coup against the Russian Army on June 23, 2023, led by Yevgeny, as per The Guardian. He was exiled for life, and now the news of his untimely death has raised a lot of conspiracies.
Adding fuel to the fire, another rumor was birthed as footage of the deceased Russian leader Prigozhin leaked on the internet. In the video, he said:
"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."
He also added:
"So for fans who are discussing my liquidation or my private life, how much I earn or whatever else, I'm fine."
His admission of well-being and his urging followers not to worry has raised a lot of doubts in people's minds. Some believe a body double took his place in the crash, and Yevgeny is still alive in an unknown location. As per the NY Post, the clip was uploaded by the Wagner-linked Grey Zone Telegram channel on August 30, 2023.
Internet's reaction to rumors of Yevgeny's body double and other conspiracies
Some netizens are still skeptical over whether Prigozhin actually died in the plane crash, as a new video of him insisting he's alive has emerged.
Here are some of the reactions:
Dr. Valery Solovey says Yevgeny is still alive
Russian political analyst Dr. Valery Solovey believes the Wagner leader did not die and is currently plotting his revenge against President Putin for sanctioning the assassination attempt on him, as per The Independent.
Solovey stated:
"First, the plane in which Yevgeny Prigozhin was supposed to fly was downed by a Russian air defence system. There was no explosion on board. It was downed from the outside.”
He then said the secret mission originated in Russia's security council and was perpetrated by Vladimir Putin.
Valery, who was formerly a professor at Moscow’s Institute of International Relations, continued:
"Prigozhin himself was not on board. His double was flying instead of him. By the way, Vladimir Putin is perfectly aware of that."
The analyst concluded by saying the chief is "alive, well, and free" and intends to take revenge on people who wanted to "destroy" him and his loved ones.
There is no evidence presented for Solovey's claims yet.
Yevgeny Viktorovich Prigozhin was buried in St. Petersburg, Russia, on August 29, 2023, after a quiet funeral with just his close family and friends. Vladimir Putin reportedly did not attend.
