Pentagon official says surface-to-air missile claims about Prigozhin plane ‘inaccurate’
Ryder said the Pentagon had no indication that the plane carrying Prigozhin was brought down by a surface-to-air missile. “We assess that information to be inaccurate,” Ryder said of press reports that the Embraer plane was hit by surface-to-air missiles.
He also said the Pentagon thought it was likely that Prigozhin was dead but did not confirm this.
Key events
Various landmarks and buildings around the world have been lit up in Ukraine’s blue and yellow colors to commemorate the country’s independence day.
On Thursday, the Ukrainian foreign ministry tweeted photos of landmarks including Dubai’s Burj Khalifa and Rome’s Coliseum that have lit up in Ukraine’s colors.
US defense secretary Lloyd Austin has released a statement in solidarity with Ukraine as the country celebrates its 32nd anniversary.
The statement reads:
“The United States stands in solidarity with Ukraine as it celebrates the 32nd anniversary of its independence. The Ukrainian people have inspired the world with their courage and resolve to defend their right to live in a sovereign, democratic, and free country.
For the past 18 months, Russia has waged a full-scale, unprovoked, and indefensible war against Ukraine. The Kremlin’s war of choice has killed thousands of innocent Ukrainians, displaced millions more, and deliberately inflicted terror and trauma on Ukraine’s men, women, and children.
Yet the Ukrainian people remain indomitable, and Ukraine is fighting back valiantly to regain its sovereign territory and protect its citizens.
The United States is proud to stand with Ukraine, and we will continue to ensure that it has what it needs to fight for its freedom.”
Here are some images coming through the newswires of memorial sites for Yevgeny Prigozhin following the Embraer plane crash:
People gather at a makeshift memorial near former PMC Wagner Centre, associated with the founder of the Wagner Group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, in Saint Petersburg, Russia August 24, 2023. Photograph: Reuters
A view shows flags and a teddy bear at a makeshift memorial near former PMC Wagner Centre, associated with the founder of the Wagner Group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, in Saint Petersburg, Russia August 24, 2023. Photograph: Reuters
US to begin Ukrainian F-16 pilot training in October
During Thursday’s briefing at the Pentagon, Brig Gen Pat Ryder said the US would begin F-16 training for Ukrainian pilots in October.
“Following English language training for pilots in September, F-16 flying training is expected to begin in October at Morris air national guard base in Tucson, Arizona, facilitated by the air national guard’s 162nd wing,” Ryder said.
“Although we do not have specific numbers to share at this time in regards to how many Ukrainians will participate in this training, we do anticipate it will include several pilots and dozens of maintainers,” he added.
Here is a video of the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, speaking publicly about Yevgeny Prigozhin after the Embraer plane crash, saying he was a “talented businessman” with a “difficult fate”.
In response to a question about Ukraine’s progress in the war, Ryder said: “Broadly speaking, Ukraine continues to get after it and fight.
“They are making some progress along the frontline, but it’s going to be tough and will continue to be tough for all the reasons we’ve talked about, not the least of which is significant obstacles to include minefields. Our focus is going to be on consulting with them and ensuring they have what they need to be successful on the battlefield.”
“I’m not going to speculate on when F-16 aircraft will be delivered … When training is complete, the Europeans are looking to provide F-16 aircraft and the US will support that effort through the third-party transfer process,” said Ryder.
“We’re talking months, not weeks … This is about the long-term support to Ukraine. This is not about the counteroffensive they are conducting right now,” he added.
“Ukraine will determine the number of pilots that they require will go through the training. What this will do is essentially increase the capacity across the coalition for training those pilots. It’s another venue by which to train,” said Ryder.
“We know that as the Danes and the Dutch prepare to train those pilots, at a certain point in time in the future, capacity will be reached,” Ryder said of Ukrainian pilots who would undergo F-16 fighter jet training.
“So, preemptively acknowledging that and leaning forward to assist with that is the impetus for why we’re doing this now,” he said, explaining the Pentagon’s plans to begin training Ukrainian pilots in the US.
“Clearly we know the Wagner group … has many tentacles, some military in nature, some criminal in nature … in Africa. I don’t think anybody is going to discount the danger of that group, or the remnants of that group,” said Ryder, adding that US officials would continue to monitor the Wagner group’s activities in Africa, in response to a question about the Wagner group’s operations in Africa after the reported death of its leader.
“We’re continuing to assess the situation … I’m not going to have any further information on how or why the airplane crashed,” Ryder added of the Embraer plane crash.
Pentagon official says surface-to-air missile claims about Prigozhin plane ‘inaccurate’
Ryder said the Pentagon had no indication that the plane carrying Prigozhin was brought down by a surface-to-air missile. “We assess that information to be inaccurate,” Ryder said of press reports that the Embraer plane was hit by surface-to-air missiles.
He also said the Pentagon thought it was likely that Prigozhin was dead but did not confirm this.
Pentagon holds press briefing
The Pentagon press secretary Brig Gen Pat Ryder is holding a press briefing.
We will bring you the latest updates on any Ukraine-Russia related statements.
The live stream can be found here:
The US national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, met his French, German, Italian and British counterparts on Thursday at the White House, where they reiterated their support for Ukraine, the White House has announced.
A readout from the White House said:
Participants reiterated their enduring commitment to supporting Ukraine in its defence against Russian aggression for as long as it takes, and to aiding it in its reconstruction.
The national security advisers stressed that Russia’s sovereign assets in their nations’ jurisdictions will remain immobilised until Russia pays for the damage it has caused to Ukraine, and examined further ways to hold Russia accountable for the destruction it has brought in its illegal war.
The Associated Press has reported that according to US and western officials, a preliminary US intelligence assessment has found that the Embraer plane crash carrying Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin and a few of his lieutenants was caused intentionally by an explosion.
According to officials who spoke to the AP anonymously, the explosion falls in line with President Putin’s “long history of trying to silence his critics”. The officials did not disclose any further details on what may have cause the explosion.
Putin has spoken publicly about the crash, calling Prigozhin “a man with a difficult fate” who “made some serious mistakes in his life.” He went on to promise a full investigation and called Prigozhin “a talented businessman.”
Here is a summary of today’s developments
In a meeting at the Kremlin, the Russian president addressed the crash of Yevgeny Prigozhin’s business jet for the first time, offering condolences to the families of the 10 people onboard.
“He was a man with a difficult fate. He made some serious mistakes in his life,” Putin said of Wagner mercenary chief.
-
An explosion onboard a plane presumed to be carrying the Wagner mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin probably brought down the aircraft on Wednesday, the New York Times has reported, citing US and other western officials.
-
Russia will return to the Black Sea grain deal only if the west fulfils its obligations to Moscow, Sergei Lavrov told the UN secretary general, António Guterres.
-
Washington announced plans to sanction two entities and 11 people, including alleged facilitators of the forced transfer and deportation of Ukrainian children.
-
Russia has extended the detention of the Wall Street Journal correspondent Evan Gershkovich by three months. He was the first journalist arrested by Russian authorities on allegations of spying since the Cold War.
-
Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, has said Kyiv had nothing to do with the presumed death of Prigozhin.
-
An early morning missile strike injured seven people in the Ukrainian city of Dnipro, the governor of the Dnipropetrovsk region, Serhiy Lisak, said on Thursday.
-
France said on Thursday there were “reasonable doubts” about the cause of the plane crash that was presumed to have killed Prigozhin.
-
Norway has decided to donate combat aircraft to Ukraine, the Norwegian broadcaster TV2 reported on Thursday, citing unnamed sources.
-
The presumed death of Prigozhin follows a pattern of “unclarified” fatalities in Russia, Germany’s foreign minister said on Thursday, adding that it was no coincidence that focus had turned to the Kremlin for answers.
Today is the 32nd anniversary of Ukraine’s independence. Here are the latest images from Ukraine and elsewhere:
Emma Graham-Harrison
Ukraine celebrates independence day with first raid into Crimea
Ukrainian forces marked the country’s independence day with a naval raid into occupied Crimea, and Volodymyr Zelenskiy praised Ukrainians for the defiance and courage that have won them global support in the conflict with Russia.
The national holiday celebrates Ukraine gaining independence from the former Soviet Union in 1991, but this year it also marks 18 months since Vladimir Putin’s full-scale invasion plunged the country into a war for survival.
Ukrainian troops landed on the western tip of Crimea, near the village of Olenivka, in the early hours of Thursday, according to Kyiv’s defence intelligence. They fought Russian troops and raised a Ukrainian flag, before all returned safely home, it said in a statement.
It is the first time Ukrainian forces are known to have landed in Crimea since Putin ordered his forces over the border last year. They had to evade Russian defences on a long journey across the Black Sea, and then escape again after a skirmish.
Read more from Emma Graham-Harrison in Kyiv:
Explosion onboard probably brought down plane presumed to be carrying Wagner leader
An explosion onboard a plane presumed to be carrying the Wagner mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin probably brought down the aircraft on Wednesday, the New York Times has reported, citing US and other western officials.
Officials told the Times the explosion could have been caused by a bomb or another device planted on the aircraft, adding that other theories were being explored.
