studies department this is bbc news, the headlines: yevgeny prigozhin the wagner mercenary group leader who led a failed mutiny in russsia is presumed dead after a plane crash near moscow. vladimir putin addresses a summit by video link but makes no mention of the crash or mr prigozhin. there s happiness for some but gcse exam pass rates fall for a second year running in england, wales and northern ireland. and monkey business! animals at london zoo are lured on to the scales for their annual weigh in. more now from russia where as we ve been hearing the leader of the wagner mercenary group yevgeny prigozhin is presumed dead after a plane crash near moscow. aviation officials in russia say all 10 passengers and crew were killed in the crash
hello, welcome to bbc news now. three hours of fast moving news, interviews and reaction. we start in russia where the founder of the wagner mercenary group, yevgeny prigozhin, is presumed dead after his plane crashed in the north west of the country. mr prigozhin led a failed mutiny in russia injune. the plane crashed in the tver region in russia s north west. this image is from the crash scene that s been confirmed by bbc verify. aviation officials in russia say mr prigozhin was on board with his right hand man dmitry utkin. it s believed all ten passengers and crew died immediately. us presidentjoe biden said, there s not much that happens in russia that putin s not behind. mr putin made no mention of the crash, or mr prigozhin, when he spoke by video link to a summit in south africa. from moscow, our russia editor,
dmitry utkin, have been identified. that is unconfirmed, but even though the bodies from the crash scene are badly burned, it is because yevgeny prigozhin had part of one finger messing on his left hand, that is what reports are saying has helped investigators identify his body. although it is not confirmed officially. in the media that is rife speculation about the possible causes of the crash. a number of accounts on social media linked to wagner saying his plane had been shot down and won a popular trend of thought in russia is that killing yevgeny prigozhin is possibly very way for vladimir putin to reassert his authority following a highly humiliating mutiny mounted by yevgeny prigozhin and wagner back in june, but yet again, in terms of
evidence, we have seen nothing to confirm that allegation. find evidence, we have seen nothing to confirm that allegation. confirm that allegation. and you mentioned confirm that allegation. and you mentioned that confirm that allegation. and you mentioned that military - confirm that allegation. and you mentioned that military coup, . confirm that allegation. and you mentioned that military coup, it| confirm that allegation. and you l mentioned that military coup, it is worth reminding that is back injune and at that point vladimir putin called him, said traitors would be punished and is it fair to say there was a surprise to some that actually for the following two months there did not appear to be any fallout from that as far as yevgeny prigozhin was concerned? and do we know what he has been doing for the last two months? last two months? absolutely, in that mutiny several last two months? absolutely, in that mutiny several helicopters last two months? absolutely, in tha
they rolled unopposed into the city of rostov. their demands the removal of russia s senior military leadership, who they blamed for setbacks on the battlefield. there were these extraordinary scenes as the paramilitary chief admonished russian generals. and then they marched on in the direction of moscow, in a direct challenge to the authority of president putin. the kremlin leader called it treachery. russia, he said, had been stabbed in the back, the mutineers would be punished. but by evening, a deal had been done to end the insurrection. even though russian servicemen had been killed, there would be no charges against yevgeny prigozhin and his wagner troops. they would have to leave russia, but the agreement left the kremlin looking weak. this was vladimir putin in the city of kursk, commemorating the soviet victory