The Kremlin has dismissed accusations of a sluggish pace in the Russian investigation into the plane crash that claimed the life of Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin. Despite more than three weeks passing since the incident, there have been no updates on the potential causes of the crash.
Western nations had raised suspicions of foul play and pointed fingers at the Kremlin after Prigozhin’s plane went down on August 23 while en route from Moscow to Saint Petersburg. This incident occurred precisely two months after Prigozhin led a mutiny in Russia.
In contrast to this case, Russian investigators swiftly published their findings in other plane incidents, including recent emergency landings in Siberia.
When questioned by AFP about whether Moscow believed the investigation into the Prigozhin crash was proceeding too slowly, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov responded, “No, I absolutely do not think that.” He went on to emphasize, “It is not a simple investigation, not a simple incident.”
Peskov concluded by stating, “The investigation is ongoing, that is why giving some kind of commentary would be absolutely premature.”
Following the crash, President Vladimir Putin characterized Prigozhin as an individual who had made significant mistakes in his life, but ultimately achieved the right results.
Russian, Sergei Kabanov Gets Over 12 Years Sentence For ‘High Treason’ Military Leaks To US
Meanwhile, in a verdict delivered on Friday, a Russian national was sentenced to 12 and a half years in incarceration. His crime was facilitating the transfer of military equipment to the United States, according to Russian media reports. Sergei Kabanov, hailing from Tver, a city located to the northwest of Moscow, faced a conviction of “high treason,” as reported by the Interfax news agency.
His transgressions involved orchestrating an intricate smuggling network designed to dispatch components essential for the production of Russian army missiles to a U.S.-based corporation, as outlined by Russia’s security service (FSB).
The FSB’s disclosure detailed that these components encompassed vital parts of Russian ground-to-air missile systems. Furthermore, it was revealed that these critical elements were conveyed through Latvia to an American entity known as Victory Procurement Services, an organization purportedly under the control of the U.S. Department of Defense.”
Notably, the FSB underscored that the clandestine route employed for this equipment transfer had been completely neutralized.
Having been apprehended in 2021, Kabanov is now slated to serve his sentence in a penal institution.
