Vladimir Putin orders Wagner troops to take an oath of allegiance to him as flight recorders are recovered after a plane crash that killed their leader Yevgeny Prigozhin
- Mercenaries are now being called upon to follow the orders of the Russian leadership
- Investigators are conducting DNA tests to identify the bodies from the plane
Vladimir Putin has demanded that Wagner troops take an oath of allegiance to him just days after the plane crash that killed their leader, a report claims.
Mercenaries have been urged to “strictly” follow the orders of Russian leaders in hopes of “laying the spiritual and moral foundations for the defense of the Russian Federation,” it said. The Telegraph.
The new oath comes amid speculation that Yevgeny Prigozhin was killed by the Kremlin, as he and nine others were reportedly killed when a private jet crashed near Moscow on Wednesday.
Ten charred bodies and flight recorders have now been recovered at the scene as investigators conduct DNA tests to establish their identities.
Mercenaries have been urged to ‘strictly’ follow the orders of the Russian leadership
“The investigation will carefully check all possible versions of what happened,” the Russian Commission of Inquiry said.
The defense ministry said there was “no definitive evidence yet” that Prigozhin was in the private jet that crashed after an onboard explosion, but that it was “highly likely”.
It also warned that his death would have “a profoundly destabilizing effect” on his mercenary group, which operates in hotspots around the world, including Ukraine, Syria and several African countries.
Meanwhile, an engineer who made last-minute repairs to the doomed plane is also being questioned by Russian authorities, a Telegram channel has reported.
Sergey Kitrish is said to have “worked constantly” with Prigozhin’s plane, replacing the landing gear brake and turbo cooler before the crash.
“He was questioned and now the fate of Kitrash is being decided,” the channel said.
“The fate of two more engineers who participated in the equipment installation is not known.”
Amid the speculation, Wagner soldiers have threatened to storm the Kremlin and retaliate for their leader’s presumed death.
Investigators are now conducting DNA tests to identify the bodies from the plane
The defense ministry said there was “no definitive evidence yet” that Prigozhin was aboard the private jet
In Russia, the Kremlin announced that all paramilitary fighters would now be required to swear an oath by the Russian flag
Russian social media channels are flooded with allegations that a case of fine wine on board could in fact have been a bomb in disguise.
Moscow has denied it was behind the plane crash, saying the allegations it was involved are a “complete lie.”