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© Pelagiya Tihonova/Anadolu Agency/Getty ImagesTribute to Mr. Prigozhin in Moscow
The Russian government has announced the recovery of 10 bodies and flight recorders from the scene of a plane crash presumed to have killed rebel Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin.

According to an alleged passenger list from Russian aviation agency Rosaviatsia, Mr Prigozhin was traveling on the Embraer Legacy 600 jet with his Chief Lieutenant Dmitry Utkin, as well as five other passengers and three crew members.

The business jet crashed on Wednesday afternoon in Russia Tver's region soon after departing from Moscow, leaving the Wagner military army effectively leaderless.

A second plane linked to Mr Prigozhin was also believed to be travelling from Moscow to St Petersburg at the time however it turned back after the jet crash and landed safely.

The crash occurred exactly two months after Mr Prigozhin led an aborted armed revolt against President Putin by his Wagner mercenary fighters in June.

Mr Putin at the time described the mutiny as "treachery", but a deal was later struck for Wagner rebels to either join Russia's official army or go to neighbouring Belarus, a close Russian ally.

Despite seemingly surviving the failed rebellion, many observers believed Mr Prigozhin was a "dead man walking" and suspected the Russian president would never forgive the Wagner boss for his disloyalty.

Atlantic Council senior fellow Michael Bociurkiw said he would not be shocked if the plane was ordered to be shot down. He told Sky News Australia's Peter Stefanovic on Thursday:
"We kind of all suspected Mr Prigozhin's days were numbered. The Russians are very big into numerology - (Wednesday marked) exactly two months since the coup attempt so if you add all that up, it shouldn't be too surprising."
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© Getty ImagesKremlin Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov
President Putin was at a meeting of the Russian Council for Strategic Development and National Projects on Wednesday before attending a concert in Kursk around the time the plane crashed.

Soldiers had medals pinned on their uniforms by the President at the event which was dedicated to the 80th anniversary of Soviet troops' victory in the Battle of Kursk.

On Friday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told a BBC journalist there was "lots of speculation" around the "tragic" plane crash but said an official investigation will now commence.
"In the West, of course, this speculation comes from a certain angle. It's all a complete lie. We don't have many facts at the moment, the facts need to be clarified during the official investigation which is being carried out now."