This Video Does Not Feature Wagner Group’s Jet Crash

Misbar investigated the widely circulated footage and found the claim to be misleading.

After conducting a thorough reverse image search, Misbar’s team found the video making the rounds to predate the recent jet crash of the Wagner Group.

Old Video Shows Russian Plane Shot Down by Wagner Forces 

Contrary to viral claims, the video displays a Russian aircraft crashing out of the sky on June 25, 2023, following what is claimed to be an attack by Wagner forces amid the Wagner Group mutiny.

The Sun’s YouTube channel uploaded the video on June 25, 2023, under the title, "Russian plane crashes out of the sky after being shot down by Wagner forces.

Furthermore, the Daily Mail’s YouTube channel also published the video on June 26, 2023. The video supposedly documents the precise moment when Wagner soldiers brought down a Russian Air Force AN-26 plane. This occurrence was among seven planes targeted by insurgent soldiers in Russia, leading to the deaths of as many as 39 aircrew members.

Wagner Soldiers Shoot Down a Russian Plane

According to reports, the video features a flaming Russian aircraft descending from the sky following what is claimed to be an attack by Wagner forces. Reports suggest that mercenaries from the Wagner Group were responsible for the assault.

The plane erupted into flames and spiraled as it plummeted over the Voronezh region while Yevgeny Prigozhin's mercenary unit was en route to Moscow from the north.

The Soviet-era large turboprop plane, known as the Il-18, is utilized by the Russian military to extend the range of radio signals. It typically accommodates a crew of up to nine individuals.

Moreover, reports emerged of disturbances within the detention facilities of Vodnik and Butyrka, seemingly in solidarity with Prigozhin. He himself was previously incarcerated and had enlisted jail inmates for his Wagner force.

Russia Accuses the Wagner Group of Mutiny

Yevgeny Prigozhin, the leader of the Russian mercenary group, announced that his Wagner fighters had traversed the border from Ukraine into Russia and were ready to confront Moscow's military, following allegations of an armed mutiny by the Kremlin earlier that day.

Prior to this, Prigozhin claimed that Russia's military leadership had carried out a substantial airstrike, resulting in the deaths of a significant number of his troops. He vowed retribution for this action.

He emphasized that his actions were not indicative of a military coup. In response, General Sergei Surovikin, the deputy commander of Russia's campaign in Ukraine, urged Wagner fighters to follow Putin's directives and to stop, saying, "I urge you to stop."

Wagner Chief Prigozhin Aboard a Crashed Jet in Russia

Yevgeny Prigozhin, leader of the Russian mercenary group, was confirmed to be on the plane that crashed north of Moscow, resulting in the deaths of all passengers, as stated by Russia's civil aviation agency.

Russia's federal air transport agency, Rosaviatsia, released the names of seven passengers, including Prigozhin and Wagner group commander Dmitry Utkin, along with three crew members who perished in the crash on Wednesday.

Confirming the incident, “There were 10 people on board, including three crew members. According to preliminary information, all those on board died,” Russia’s Ministry for Emergency Situations said shortly before.

The ministry reported that a "private Embraer Legacy aircraft traveling from Moscow to Saint Petersburg crashed near the village of Kuzhenkino in the Tver Region," located about 300 kilometers (185 miles) north of Moscow.

Furthermore, a video has emerged purportedly showing the Embraer jet descending from the sky. Authorities are actively investigating potential causes for the crash, with theories ranging from technical malfunctions to onboard explosions.

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