Regardless of Wagner Group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin's fate, Vladimir Putin benefits

On Aug. 23, Russian media reported that Yevgeny Prigozhin, the leader of the Wagner Group, was listed among the passengers of a plane that crashed, leaving no survivors. Speculation has already begun about Putin’s potential involvement in the crash. This speculation is likely to continue unabated well into the future.

Some have even argued that due to many individuals changing their names to Yevgeny Prigozhin in an attempt to thwart surveillance of the Wagner leader, it might not have been him on the flight.

Regardless of whether Putin was responsible or even if Prigozhin is still alive, the latter’s position has been undermined in Russia; Putin will benefit from this development.