Russian President Vladimir Putin has suggested that the death of mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin in a plane crash may not have been a result of sabotage.
Instead, Putin hinted that Prigozhin's demise could have been self-inflicted due to drug or alcohol impairment while playing with grenades.
"The Investigative Committee head reported to me just the other day that hand grenade fragments had been found in the bodies of those killed in the plane crash," Putin said during a speech at the Valdai Discussion Club in Sochi according to NBCnews.
"Alcohol or cocaine might have led to play with grenades"
Putin insinuated that those on board the plane might have been under the influence of alcohol or drugs, leading them to play with grenades.
"Unfortunately, tests on traces of alcohol or drugs in the blood of those killed were not taken," he added.
Putin also mentioned that the FSB, Russia's intelligence agency, had discovered 5 kilograms of cocaine in Prigozhin’s Saint Petersburg office.
"We know that after the events we all know about [the uprising], the FSB found not only 10 billion [rubles] in cash but also 5 kilograms of cocaine," Putin stated.
Putin emphasized that there was no external impact on the plane, a fact confirmed by Russia’s Investigative Committee. "The investigation still continues," he said.
