Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin confirmed dead by Russian authorities

Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin has been confirmed to have been killed in a plane crash last week, Moscow said on Sunday.

Russia's Investigation Committee said the results of genetic tests had established the identities of the 10 people who died in a plane crash last Wednesday, including the mercenary group founder.

He had been listed as a passenger on the plane that crashed near Tver, 180km north-west of Moscow, two months after the group mounted a mutiny against the Russian military.

Earlier this week, Russia’s civil aviation authority said Mr Prigozhin, along with some of his top lieutenants, were on the list of those on board the plane that crashed Wednesday.

The investigations committee confirmed the bodies recovered from the site “conformed with the flight manifest”.

Mr Prigozhin, 62, led a failed mutiny against Moscow exactly two months before the crash.

Fighters from the mercenary group came within 200km of Moscow in a move slammed as treason by President Vladimir Putin.

The president quickly exiled Mr Prigozhin, once a top confidant, to Belarus.

Yevgeny Prigozhin shows Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin his school lunch factory outside Saint Petersburg in 2010. The death of Yevgeny Prigozhin, head of the Wagner paramilitary group, following a plane crash on August 23, 2023 has been confirmed by formal genetic analysis, Russia's Investigative Committee said. (Photo by Alexey DRUZHININ / SPUTNIK / AFP)

'Serious mistakes'

He has now ordered Wagner fighters to sign an oath of allegiance to the Russian state after the death of Mr Prigozhin.

Mr Putin signed the decree bringing in the change with immediate effect on Friday after the Kremlin said that Western suggestions that Prigozhin had been killed on its orders were an “absolute lie.”

On Thursday, Mr Putin said he had known Prigozhin since the early 1990s, and described him as a "talented businessman" but also as a flawed character who "made serious mistakes in life".

They were both born in St. Petersburg. From a hot dog stand, Mr Prigozhin built a catering company and owned several high-end restaurants, and became known as 'Putin's chef'.

But he was to rise to far greater prominence as the head of the mercenary group, Wagner.

Wagner fighters played a prominent role in the conflict in eastern Ukraine, especially during the months-long siege of the city of Bakhmut.

Many relocated to neighbouring Belarus under the terms of the deal that ended their mutiny.

While some will be absorbed into Russia's armed forces, a considerable portion of them are expected to be angry over the sudden demise of Mr Prigozhin, who commanded a good deal of loyalty from his men.

There are also reports of makeshift memorials to Prigozhin springing up across several Russian cities.

MATCH INFO

Manchester United 1 (Rashford 36')

Liverpool 1 (Lallana 84')

Man of the match: Marcus Rashford (Manchester United)

Quick pearls of wisdom

Focus on gratitude: And do so deeply, he says. “Think of one to three things a day that you’re grateful for. It needs to be specific, too, don’t just say ‘air.’ Really think about it. If you’re grateful for, say, what your parents have done for you, that will motivate you to do more for the world.”

Know how to fight: Shetty married his wife, Radhi, three years ago (he met her in a meditation class before he went off and became a monk). He says they’ve had to learn to respect each other’s “fighting styles” – he’s a talk it-out-immediately person, while she needs space to think. “When you’re having an argument, remember, it’s not you against each other. It’s both of you against the problem. When you win, they lose. If you’re on a team you have to win together.”

Scoreline:

Cardiff City 0

Liverpool 2

Wijnaldum 57', Milner 81' (pen)

Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026

1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years

If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.

2. E-invoicing in the UAE

Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.

3. More tax audits

Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.

4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime

Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.

5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit

There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.

6. Further transfer pricing enforcement

Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.

7. Limited time periods for audits

Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.

8. Pillar 2 implementation

Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.

9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services

Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.

10. Substance and CbC reporting focus

Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.

Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer