Pentagon declares 'Wagner Group's Demise'
The Pentagon made a significant announcement on Thursday, asserting that Russia's paramilitary organization, the "Wagner Group," has essentially disbanded following the tragic plane crash that claimed the life of its leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin, last week.
During a press briefing, Pentagon spokesperson Brigadier General Patrick Ryder responded to inquiries about the status of the arms deal between Wagner and North Korea. He stated, "I believe the more significant issue is that the Wagner Group has effectively ceased to exist."
Ryder further explained that negotiations between the two entities are unlikely to continue, emphasizing the broader concern about the Russian government's involvement. Wagner had been working in support of Russian operations in Ukraine.
He pointed out that at one point, the Wagner Group had been Russia's most potent fighting force in Ukraine. However, they have since faded from the battlefield and no longer pose any significant combat threat.
"The larger issue here is Russia's pursuit of alliances with rogue regimes, including Iran, in an attempt to secure additional ammunition and weaponry," Ryder added.
Last week, a tragic incident occurred when an Embraer-135 plane crashed near the village of Kuzhenkino in Russia's Tver region. This flight, en route from Moscow to St. Petersburg, claimed the lives of all 10 individuals on board, including Prigozhin.
Subsequently, the Russian Federal Air Transport Agency (Rosaviatsiya) released a list of the victims, which included Wagner co-founder Dmitry Utkin and several other Wagner employees.
The Investigative Committee of Russia later confirmed the accuracy of this list, having completed genetic identification procedures for those who tragically lost their lives in the private jet crash.
