EU cautious over reports of Wagner leader’s death

BRUSSELS

The EU on Thursday said reports on the death of Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin in a plane crash were difficult to verify.

"Lately, nothing that comes out from Russia is credible. As such, we cannot verify the report and hence cannot comment on it," spokesperson Peter Stano in a statement.

Stano stressed that the union hoped the "negative impact" of the Wagner Group's operations will end, adding that the bloc could not speculate whether Prigozhin's death would have specific consequences for the group's activities.

Russian authorities have confirmed Prigozhin was on board a plane that crashed outside Moscow on Wednesday. The Emergency Situations Ministry said all 10 people on the aircraft were killed.

President Vladimir Putin has expressed his condolences to the families of the victims. He described Prigozhin as a "talented man" with a "difficult fate." He said Russia will investigate the causes of the crash.