SAWT BEIRUT INTERNATIONAL

| 14 February 2025, Friday |

Ukraine’s Zelenskiy says Putin killed mercenary boss Prigozhin

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy alleged on Friday that Russian President Vladimir Putin was responsible for the killing of mercenary commander Yevgeny Prigozhin, who perished in an unsolved plane accident with his senior lieutenants last month.

Zelenskiy, who presented no proof to back up his claim, made the remark in casually at a conference in Kyiv while answering a question about Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“The fact that he killed Prigozhin – at least that’s the information we all have, no other kind – speaks to his rationality, as well as the fact that he is weak,” Zelenskiy added.

The Kremlin says all possible causes of the crash will be investigated, including the possibility of foul play. It has called the suggestion that Putin ordered the deaths of Prigozhin and his men an “absolute lie”.

Prigozhin this summer led a brief mutiny in Russia that posed the biggest challenge to Putin’s rule since he rose to power in 1999. It prompted the Kremlin chief to accuse its authors of “treason” and a “stab in the back”.

Many critics of Putin have died in unclear circumstances during his 23 years in power, or narrowly escaped dying.

    Source:
  • Reuters