Moscow [Russia], August 29 (ANI): The funeral of Wagner Group chief Yevgeny Prigozhin — who was killed in a plane crash last week — was held privately “in a closed format”, CNN reported citing Concord Management. The Wagner founder’s funeral took place “in a closed format,” according to Concord Management, the company Prigozhin owned.
The company Concord Management was owned by Prigozhin. It, however, didn’t specify when the funeral took place. “Those wishing to say goodbye can visit the Porokhovskoe cemetery” in St. Petersburg, Concord’s press service added. CNN reported citing Russian media outlet MSK1, that Prigozhin was buried at the cemetery at about 4 pm (local time) on Tuesday. “That’s what the relatives wished,” the cemetery said in response to MSK1’s question about why the place of burial was not previously reported.
According to independent Russian news outlet Agentstvo, 30 people attended the funeral, however, CNN couldn’t verify the claims. There were “no people in military uniform at the ceremony,” Agentstvo reported citing an employee of the cemetery. “There were 20 to 30 people. Only relatives, I know them. The ceremony went on for 40 minutes. All were in civilian clothes,” CNN reported an employee as saying.
He added, “I did not see the military. I’ve been in the industry for over 30 years, nothing out of the ordinary for me, just a VIP funeral. They are not the first and, most likely, not the last”. Video and images showed that Prigozhin had been buried next to his father. Images analyzed by CNN show a headstone next to Prigozhin’s burial site that reads: “Viktor Evgenievich Prigozhin 1935-1970.”
It was already known that his father died when Prigozhin was still a boy. The cemetery is an old, small one that is partially closed on the northeast outskirts of the city, CNN reported. Notably, Prigozhin was confirmed dead by Russian investigators on Sunday. He was among the 10 people killed when their plane crashed last week.
The crash came exactly two months after Prigozhin — who was once called President Vladimir Putin’s “personal chef” — led an armed insurrection against the Russian leader. Prigozhin, whose fighters secured “rare victories” for the Kremlin on the battlefield, had railed against the country’s military brass over their handling of the Ukraine war, according to CNN.
The Kremlin said decisions on Prigozhin’s burial would be for his family to make and that it would be a private affair. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov had ruled out Putin’s attendance at Prigozhin’s funeral. (ANI)
