was in the u.s. advocating for additional air defense and f-16s and western air power. really excellent spokesperson for his country. very skilled pilot. had the kind of swagger that pilots, fighter pilots have, and it s a loss not just because he was an excellent spokesman but that he was one of the best-known, possibly one of the best fighter pilots that the ukrainians had. i think this was likely an accident. so f-16s on that count maybe don t mean that much. what it does mean is saving the lives of many, many more ukrainian pilots that will be able to effectively employ advanced aircraft against russian air defense systems, against russian aircraft, and employ those aircraft to advance the military aims, destroy russian forces, provide close air support. one other thing i want to mention on the topic of prigozhin, you know, in the same breath that we witnessed
there are popular support for prigozhin. and, i think he is trying to walk that line by essentially saying look, there are oligarchs, others who might try this. don t. listen, this is something in my ability here. assuming he is behind the death of prigozhin, the fact he is willing to kill somebody who he has an economic incentive to keep around is very telling. the economic incentive was not enough to save yevgeny prigozhin. yeah. 20 years ago, you would have an oligarch who began to become
reason he has to do this is because there are some popular support for prigozhin, and i think he is trying to walk that line by essentially saying, look, yeah, other oligarchs, others who might try, this don t because this is how it could end up. but the same token, to the russian people, listen, this is deniability here and i m really not sure what happened. it is unclear as to whether it will work for, him but i think that s what he s trying to pull off. steve, the fact that, assuming that he has behind the death of prigozhin, the fact that he would be willing to kill somebody who he has an economic incentive to keep around is very telling. the economic incentive was not enough to save yevgeny prigozhin. this is a chance that we have seen a couple of other oligarchs failed to do. 20 years ago you had mchale not an identical situation, but an oligarch who began to become
theory? we understand vladimir putin issued condolences and has spoken about the death of prigozhin. reporter: putin has been silent until now. now he has issued this letter of condolences to the family of prigozhin. spoke specifically about prigozhin in the past tense, describing him as i have it in front of me. i have known prigozhin for a long time, since the early 90s. he was a man of a complicated fate. he made mistakes in his life. he was a talented man, a talented businessman. he worked not only in our country and with result but also abroad in africa in particular. he is clearly speaking about him as having died, sending out this condolence letter to family members, specifically talking about prigozhin. this is the closest we have seen to an official russian confirmation that he was on this plane thus far.
so in this case i think it is highly likely that the russian state decided to, putin decided to get rid of prigozhin. but decided to, putin decided to get rid of prigozhin- of prigozhin. but in terms of what ha ens of prigozhin. but in terms of what happens now of prigozhin. but in terms of what happens now because of prigozhin. but in terms of what happens now because on - of prigozhin. but in terms of what happens now because on the i of prigozhin. but in terms of what happens now because on the face j of prigozhin. but in terms of what i happens now because on the face of it it seems that any threat from prigozhin has been neutralised, however, there have been some commentators wondering if actually there will be someone else who succeeds him, someone who comes forward who has revenge on their mind. what do you think the risk factors are now full putin?- factors are now full putin? well, this actually factors are now full putin? well, this actually sends factors are now ful