Putin: Hand grenade fragments found in bodies of victims of plane crash that killed Prigozhin

(Patria) - Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that hand grenade fragments were found in the bodies of people killed in the crash of Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin's plane, AP reported.

Experts who investigated the crash found no indication that the private jet suffered an "external impact," he said. Prigozhin and two of his top Wagner mercenary group lieutenants were among ten killed when the plane crashed while flying from Moscow to St. Petersburg on August 23.

While Putin noted that the investigation is still ongoing and did not say what caused the crash, his statement suggested the plane was brought down by a grenade explosion.

Putin also noted that although investigators did not test the remains for alcohol and drugs, five kilograms of cocaine were found during a search of Prigozhin's office in St. Petersburg after the rebellion, an apparent attempt to tarnish the mercenary chief.