Former Wagner Group fighter known by the call sign Yaga has claimed that the private military company’s founder, Yevgeny Prigozhin, might have survived the plane crash that reportedly killed him in August 2023. The ex-fighter also suggested a possible location where the businessman could currently be hiding.
Rumors of Prigozhin’s Survival Spread Online
Speculation about Prigozhin’s survival has circulated on social media, with some reports alleging that he first hid in Africa before relocating to Venezuela, where he allegedly became an advisor to President Nicolás Maduro. Commentators online joked that Washington’s renewed tensions with Caracas could serve as a pretext for an attack aimed at eliminating the supposedly “survived” entrepreneur.
“Prigozhin 100 percent survived and now represents the Russian Federation in Africa.” — Yaga, former Wagner fighter
However, Yaga offered no concrete evidence to support his statement. Meanwhile, Prigozhin’s mother, Violetta Prigozhina, has maintained that her son’s death was confirmed through DNA testing. According to her, comparative analysis was carried out using a sample from Prigozhin’s son, Pavel. “Some still refuse to believe it. We would be glad if it were true, but unfortunately, it is not,” she said.
‘Salary Records’ Spark Online Speculation
Adding to the intrigue, screenshots of alleged payroll documents surfaced online, suggesting that Prigozhin continued to receive payments from three Russia-registered companies. The authenticity of these records was widely questioned.
Entrepreneur and economist Aleksei Petropolsky dismissed the claims as fake, stating: “I think it’s Photoshop. Once a death certificate is issued, the taxpayer and pension data are immediately updated to show that the person no longer receives any payments. So all of this is fabricated — or there was a namesake.”
No Evidence of Survival After Plane Crash
Despite widespread rumors, no verified evidence has surfaced to suggest that Prigozhin survived the crash of the private Embraer-135 jet on August 23, 2023. Authorities and investigators have consistently maintained that the Wagner chief perished in the incident along with his entourage.
