United States President, Joe Biden has reacted to the death of Russian mercenary boss, Yevgeny Prigozhin, leader of the Wagner Group.
On Wednesday August 23, Russia’s agency for air transport said Prigozhin, leader of the private security outfit, was among the passengers of a flight that crashed and burst into flames immediately on Wednesday.
All 10 passengers aboard the plane were reported dead. His death comes two months after he launched a mutiny towards the Kremlin which he changed his mind at the last moment after a deal was struck between him, Russian president Putin and Belarusian president, Alexander Lukashenko.
According to Biden “little happens in Russia without the knowledge of Vladimir Putin”
Speaking with CNN, Biden said he wasn’t surprised that the Russian mercenary may have been targeted.
“You may recall, I was asked about this,” Biden said, referencing comments he made in July in which he said Prighozin should be worried about his safety following the failed mutiny.
“I said I would be careful what I rode in. I don’t know for a fact what happened, but I’m not surprised,” CNN quoted Biden as saying.
The US president added that there is “not much that happens in Russia that Putin is not behind but I don’t know enough to know the answer”.
Adrienne Watson, US national security spokesperson, also reacted to Prigozhin’s speculated death, saying it would not be a surprise given his history with Putin.
“We have seen the reports” of the crash and if confirmed, “no-one should be surprised,” Watson said.
The mercenary leader’s whereabouts had been unclear following his rebellious stint until the news of the plane crash broke.
His last reported location appeared to be in Africa, when he posted his first video address since his uprising in Russia.