Wagner mercenary boss Yevgeny Prigozhin has been buried privately in a “farewell ceremony” in a St Petersburg cemetery, according to his press team.
Prigozhin was killed in a plane crash north of Moscow on 23 August, two months to the day since he led a failed mutiny against top Russian officials.
The aborted rebellion where he had demanded the ousting of defence minister Sergei Shoigu was the biggest challenge to President Vladimir Putin’s rule since he rose to power in 1999.
In a statement on Telegram, the Wagner chief’s press service said: “The farewell to Yevgeny Viktorovich [Prigozhin] took place in a closed format. Those who wish to say goodbye may visit Porokhovskoye cemetery.”
Other cemeteries in the Russian city had previously been mentioned in media reports as likely sites for the burial.
Russia responds to new Ukraine tech with 200-year-old strategy – war latest
Secrecy had surrounded the funeral arrangements and the Kremlin said earlier that Mr Putin would not attend.
Genetic tests confirmed Prigozhin had died in last Wednesday’s crash, Russia’s investigative committee announced on Sunday.
The nine other people killed included two top Wagner figures – Prigozhin’s right-hand man Dmitry Utkin and head of logistics Valery Chekalov – as well as four Prigozhin bodyguards and three crew members.
At the Severnoye cemetery in St Petersburg on Tuesday, Chekalov’s family was joined by dozens of people, some of whom were believed to be Wagner mercenaries and employees from Prigozhin’s business empire.
Prigozhin’s private jet came down as it travelled from Moscow, heading towards St Petersburg.
The Kremlin has rejected as an “absolute lie” the suggestion by some Western politicians and commentators – who have not provided evidence – that Mr Putin ordered Prigozhin to be killed in revenge for the mutiny.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Moment Russian jet crashes near Moscow
This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly.
Please refresh the page for the fullest version.
You can receive breaking news alerts on a smartphone or tablet via the Sky News app. You can also follow @SkyNews on X or subscribe to our YouTube channel to keep up with the latest news.
