Visual identification of Prigozhin plane crash bodies deems impossible

It is impossible to visually identify the bodies of the passengers of the plane that crashed in the Tver region, including the body of businessman Yevgeny Prigozhin. The bodies have been severely disfigured in the crash, Fontanka said on its Telegram channel.

Visual identification of the bodies deems difficult because the passengers and crew members were badly injured in the crash. However, experts could establish by indirect evidence that Prigozhin was on the plane. 

The body of businessman Yevgeny Prigozhin was delivered to the Tver Regional Bureau of Forensic Medical Examination, a source in the organisation told Msk1.ru.

Investigators believe that the plane crashed due to an explosion. A bomb may have been planted into the landing gear compartment. It was in the gear compartment where the explosion occurred during the flight. The explosion caused a wing of the plane to come off, the wing hit the stabiliser.

According to the Federal Air Transport Agency, Yevgeny Prigozhin, his subordinate commander Dmitry Utkin, as well as Nikolai Matuseev, Valery Chekalov, Alexander Totmin, Evgeny Makaryan and Sergey Propustin were among the passengers.

None of the bodies of the victims have been identified as of yet. The biological material of the victims was sent to Moscow for genetic examination, Baza Telegram channel said with reference to sources.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that Kyiv had nothing to do with Prigozhin's plane crash.

"We have nothing to do with it. Everyone knows who does," Zelensky said.

Before the last flight, Prigozhin's plane was staying in the hangar for repairs for ten days. Investigators plan to interrogate everyone who had access to the hangar, 112 Telegram channel said.

Special services cordoned off the parking lot of Prigozhin's plane at Sheremetyevo, where it departed from. They interrogate everyone who approached the jet, Mash Telegram channel said. In particular, they interrogated pilot Artem Stepanov, who had access to Prigozhin's jets, Baza Telegram channel said. Stepanov was under US economic sanctions because of his alleged cooperation with Prigozhin, Baza also said.