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<\/p>\nTory MPs have suggested\u00a0Vladimir Putin is behind the plane crash Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin was reportedly killed in.<\/p>\n
The warlord, who led a failed coup in June, was on the passenger list of a private jet carrying seven passengers and three crew which crashed while flying from Moscow to St Petersburg.<\/p>\n
Tory MP Alicia Kearns, who chairs the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee, said the Russian President “couldn’t let him live” after his rebellion.<\/p>\n
The Rutland and Melton MP told the Express: \u201cThe speed at which the Russian government has confirmed Yevgeny Prigozhin was on a plane that crashed on a flight from Moscow to St Petersburg should tell us everything we need to know.<\/p>\n
\u201cReports Russian Air Defence shot down the plane suggests Putin is sending a very loud message.<\/p>\n
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\u201cA number of us expected that Prigozhin would end up dead, Putin couldn\u2019t let him live after his march on Moscow.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut this story isn\u2019t over yet, how will those loyal to Prigozhin respond?<\/p>\n
“Has Putin spent the last couple of months shoring up control of Prigozhin\u2019s assets?\u201d<\/p>\n
Tobias Ellwod, the Tory chair of the Commons Defence committee, added: “Of course we await details but this has all the hallmarks of retaliation for the immense humiliation Prigozhin inflicted on Putin in June.<\/p>\n
“Prigozhin challenged both the President’s credibility and loyalty of the security forces.<\/p>\n
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“These are critical for the survival of any Russian leader. Once they are challenged then the President no longer looks infallible and potential successors start to plot.”<\/p>\n
As news of the crash was breaking, Mr Putin spoke at an event commemorating the Battle of Kursk, hailing the heroes of Russia’s \u201cspecial military operation\u201d in Ukraine.<\/p>\n
The Wagner mercenary group marched towards Moscow and were just 120 miles away when a last-minute deal was struck with the Kremlin in June.<\/p>\n