While news that Russia’s Wagner mercenary chief was believed dead in a plane crash dominated world reports Thursday, along with speculation that it was linked to his June mutiny, Russian state media painted a very different picture.
State TV channels Russia 24 and Russia 1 on Thursday largely stuck to describing the investigation into the previous day’s crash that killed 10 people. Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin, whose brief march on Moscow was seen as the biggest challenge to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s 23-year-rule, was mentioned only toward the end of some reports.
Meanwhile, state Russian channels focused on portraying Putin as calm and in control. There was extensive coverage of Putin’s participation, via virtual link, at the summit of BRICS nations in South Africa. Russia 24 covered Putin’s speech at the BRICS summit in its entirety without any usual ad breaks or customary news bulletins.
In contrast, independent Russian media outside the country, such as online news outlet Meduza, gave blow-by-blow coverage of the crash. And many Russians feverishly discussed Prigozhin’s presumed death online, including speculation prevalent in the West that Prigozhin’s death might have been an assassination to avenge his role in the aborted June mutiny.
Sergei Mironov, the leader of the pro-Kremlin Fair Russia party and former chairman of the upper house of the Russian parliament, suggested on his Telegram channel that Prigozhin had been deliberately killed.
Although social media is increasing in popularity among Russians, most of the country still gets its news from a powerful state television network which encompasses multiple channels across 11 time zones. There are no independent television channels left in Russia since Putin cracked down on dissent in the aftermath of his invasion of Ukraine. Analysts speculated that the muted coverage on state television indicated that networks had been given little official direction and were unsure as to how to respond.
The closest Russian television seemed to get to addressing the rumors and speculation was during the state Russian television talk show 60 minutes on Russia 1. Known for news items with dramatic music, the show did not cover the crash but rather Western media’s response to it.
PRIGOZHIN’S DEATH ABUZZ ACROSS WORLD
Independent Media: Outlets like Meduza detailed crash coverage and speculated on Prigozhin’s assassination due to the June mutiny involvement.
Social Media & State TV: State TV, though widely consumed, is controlled; muted coverage hinted at uncertainty.
TV Talk Show: “60 Minutes” on Russia 1 didn’t cover the crash but highlighted Western media’s “hysterical” response.
Speculative Views: Prominent TV hosts speculated – some linked Ukraine, others suggested intentional death.
Putin’s Remarks: Putin offered condolences, termed Prigozhin’s life complex, talented but marked by mistakes.
Coverage Variability: Putin’s remarks briefly dominated, then waned, hinting at news network uncertainty.