Yevgeny Prigozhin was assassinated ‘as a gift for Zelensky to celebrate Ukraine’s victory day today’, Putin’s former spokesman claims

Yevgeny Prigozhin was killed today as a “gift to Zelensky” from Ukraine’s intelligence service to celebrate the country’s independence day, Vladimir Putin’s former spokesman said.

Sergei Markov, a staunch supporter of the Russian president and formerly a close adviser, said it was “absolutely clear that Prigozhin was killed by (the) Ukrainian intelligence service” the night before Ukraine.

The Wagner boss is believed dead after a plane crash that, despite Markov’s claims, is widely viewed as a Kremlin-ordered assassination that also killed top officers of his private army, two months after the group’s attempted uprising .

After blaming Ukrainian intelligence for Prigozhin’s death, Markov today called him a “Russian hero,” despite the Wagner mercenary group boss launching an attempted coup in the country just two months ago.

The former Kremlin adviser, who now reenacts Russian propaganda at Moscow State University, claimed the evidence was “very clear.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reacts during a joint press conference with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Monday

Russian mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin (pictured) and top officers of his private army are believed to have died in a plane crash near Kuzhenkino, Russia, on Wednesday

Spoke about the death in an interview on Thursday morning BBC Radio 4’s Today programmeMarkov claimed that Kiev would “celebrate” the death and be “proud” of the killing.

He said the evidence was very clear, but could not provide any justification for his argument other than the claims of Russian propaganda television.

Markov added that he had “5 percent doubt” that Progozhin was dead after the plane crash. Rescuers quickly found all ten bodies of the passengers registered for the flight, and Russian media quoted sources in Prigozhin’s private military company Wagner as confirming his death.

The former Kremlin adviser claimed Progozhin’s confirmed death would be “bad news” for Russia, calling the caterer-turned-mercenary a “hero of Russia and a hero of the Donetsk people.”

This is despite Putin criticizing his once-trusted ally for the attempted coup in June, which was internationally regarded as humiliating the Kremlin.

After the contained uprising, and without naming Prighozin, Putin said the organizers of the uprising were “treacherous” and had “betrayed their country and their people.”

“He was the founder and leader of the best private military group,” claimed Markov, who fought against “neo-Nazis” — an argument Russia has persisted with in an attempt to justify their brutal bloodshed in Ukraine.

The death comes as no surprise to Western officials who have long expected Prigozhin’s death at the hands of Putin, despite the Russian president. promised to drop charges in a deal that ended the June 23–24 mutiny.

Sergei Markov (9 photo), a staunch supporter of the Russian president and formerly a close adviser, said it was “absolutely clear that Prigozhin (was) killed by (the) Ukrainian intelligence service”

Vladimir Putin delivers a speech at a ceremony to unveil the first phase of the Battle of Kursk Memorial in Ponyri settlement, Kursk region, Russia, on Wednesday

“I’m not sure what happened, but I’m not surprised,” US President Joe Biden said. “Not much happens in Russia that Putin doesn’t support.”

Prigozhin supporters claimed on pro-Wagner messaging channels that the plane was deliberately shot down and offered several theories as to how.

Police cordoned off the field where the plane crashed while investigators studied the site. Vehicles were seen wheeling the bodies, reportedly heavily charred, in for forensic examination.

Lights in the shape of a large cross were turned on at Wagner’s headquarters in St. Petersburg. Prigozhin’s supporters brought flowers to the building in a makeshift memorial.

While numerous theories about the events circulated, most observers saw Prigozhin’s death as Putin’s punishment for the most serious challenge to his authority over his 23-year rule.

Tatiana Stanovaya, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center, said on Telegram that “whatever caused the plane crash, everyone will see it as an act of revenge and retaliation” by the Kremlin, and “the Kremlin wouldn’t really . get in the way of that.”

“From the point of view of Putin, as well as the security forces and the military, Prigozhin’s death should be a lesson to all potential followers,” Stanovaya said in a Telegram message.