A new recording attributed to Yevgeny Prigozhin, the founder of the Russian Wagner military group, appears to show him in Africa just days before his death, discussing speculations about his safety and potential threats to his security. In the video, Prigozhin says, "For those who are discussing whether I’m alive or not and how I am, it’s now the weekend, the second half of August 2023, I am in Africa." He added, waving his hand, "For those who like to discuss eliminating me or my private life, or how much I earn or anything else, everything is fine."
The video that features Prigozhin before his death discusses his safety. His camouflaged clothing, hat, and wristwatch were similar to what he wore in a video released on August 21, in which he also claimed to have been filmed in Africa. The mention of "the weekend" indicates that the most recent recording must have been filmed on August 19 or 20, just three or four days before his death in an airplane crash north of Moscow on August 23. The statements in the video reflect Prigozhin’s awareness of the risks to his life. Prigozhin's burial took place on Tuesday at the Borokhovskoye Cemetery in his hometown of Saint Petersburg.
