Russian President Vladimir Putin has broken his silence on the death of Yevgeny Prigozhin, leader of Wagner, a private military company.
Prigozhin died in a plane crash on Wednesday that also killed 9 other people.
The cause of the crash is still under investigation.
Prigozhin was a controversial figure who had close ties to Putin. He was known for his work in the catering industry and his support for Russian military operations abroad.
In June, Prigozhin was reportedly involved in a rebellion against Putin. However, the issue was later resolved.
Some people have speculated that Putin may have been involved in Prigozhin’s death. However, there is no evidence to support these claims.
In a statement, Putin said Prigozhin was “a man of difficult fate, but talented.” He also said that Prigozhin had “made serious mistakes in life” but had “achieved the results needed both for his own interests and for a common cause.”
Putin sent his condolences to the families of the victims of the crash. He said investigation into the crash is ongoing.
