Following a jet crash that claimed the lives of all ten occupants, Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of the Wagner private military firm, is thought to be dead. Given the tremendous conjecture about Prigozhin’s fate following his brief armed insurrection against the Russian military earlier this year, the collision, which happened north of Moscow, immediately aroused suspicions.

Russia’s civil aviation bureau reports that Prigozhin was traveling from Moscow to St. Petersburg when the plane went down. Following rumors that Prigozhin was linked to the dismissal of a top general as air force commander, the crash occurred.

President Vladimir Putin referred to Prigozhin’s uprising earlier this year as “treason” and a “stab in the back.” But Prigozhin’s accusations were withdrawn, and he was free to flee to Belarus and make sporadic trips to Russia.

Speculations regarding the circumstances surrounding Prigozhin’s death have been sparked by the crash. Given that Prigozhin has a history of using many names to conceal his trips, some experts advise exercising care.

According to flight tracking data, a private aircraft that Prigozhin had previously flown took off from Moscow and quickly vanished from view. Videos and pictures taken at the accident scene indicate that the aircraft may have experienced an explosion mid-flight, causing significant damage.

If confirmed, Prigozhin’s death is not expected to have a major effect on Russia’s war in Ukraine, where his forces fought bloody battles. Following their capture of Bakhmut, a city in eastern Donetsk, in late May, his men withdrew from direct combat.

Some believe that the crash is a result of the Kremlin exacting revenge on Prigozhin for his disobedience against the Russian military. It is also interpreted as a warning to prospective adherents that disobedience will not be accepted.

Senior fellow Tatiana Stanovaya of the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center thinks that the Kremlin sees Prigozhin as a source of political embarrassment and threats, and that his death should serve as a lesson to his future followers.

In general, the circumstances surrounding Prigozhin’s passing are still up for debate, and it is unclear how they will affect Russia’s internal dynamics and its behavior in Ukraine.