The Kremlin on Friday said claims that Russia was behind the death of Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin are an “absolute lie.”
“Now, of course, there is a lot of speculation around this plane crash and the tragic death of the passengers of the plane, including Yevgeny Prigozhin. Of course, in the West all these speculations are presented from a certain angle. All this is an absolute lie,” spokesman Dmitry Peskov told a press briefing in Moscow.
He said investigation into Wednesday's plane crash continues, and the results will be disclosed when they are available.
“If you carefully listened to the Russian president's (Vladimir Putin) statement yesterday, he said that all the necessary examinations, including genetic ones, would now be carried out. There are no official results (yet). As soon as they are ready to be published, they will be published,” he said.
Prigozhin was confirmed to be onboard a private jet that crashed on Wednesday in Russia’s northwestern Tver region, killing all 10 passengers.
President Vladimir Putin expressed his condolences to the families of the victims on Thursday, and described Prigozhin as a "talented man" with a "difficult fate." He said Moscow will thoroughly investigate the causes of the incident.
Peskov said Wagner Group contributed greatly to Russia's "special military operation" in Ukraine.
"Let's not forget that there is no such structure, there is no de jure Wagner PMC. There is, indeed, the Wagner Group, which, as the president (Vladimir Putin) has repeatedly said, has made a great contribution to the course of the special military operation," he said.
Russian air defense systems working 'quite effectively'
Peskov also touched on recent drone attacks in Russia, saying the country's air defense systems are working "quite effectively" in countering the strikes.
"The specifics of this actually terrorist activity, because for the most part it is aimed simply at residential buildings and residential facilities, may not always allow you to avoid some minor damage. But nevertheless, it must be recognized that air defense and all the necessary protection systems are working effectively," he said.
Drone strikes inside Russia have dramatically increased in recent months, notably in Moscow, Crimea and the regions bordering Ukraine, with authorities accusing Kyiv of being behind them.
Though Kyiv has not claimed responsibility, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in late July that the attacks on Russian territory are an "inevitable, natural and absolutely fair process."
Peskov also shared that Putin had no plans to attend the G-20 summit in India next month, saying currently his main focus is the war in Ukraine.
