A video shared on X, the social media platform previously known as Twitter, purports to show Russian President Vladimir Putin attending Wagner Group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin’s funeral.
“Vladimir Putin pays his last respects to Yevgeny Prigozhin the Wagner Boss and then declines to get into his car and walks on foot from the occasion.”
Baba decided to trek back to his house, it’s not the first time he’s doing this sha.pic.twitter.com/xSjloeLqjY
— Dallas (@vincentchidi6) August 30, 2023
Verdict: False
The X video is comprised of two clips, both of which show Putin attending his former Judo trainer Anatoly Rakhlin’s funeral in 2013.
Fact Check:
A new video that reportedly shows Prigozhin in Africa prior to his death has been released, according to Reuters. The Wagner Group leader and nine other passengers died in an Aug. 23 plane crash in Russia, NBC News reported.
“Vladimir Putin pays his last respects to Yevgeny Prigozhin the Wagner Boss and then declines to get into his car and walks on foot from the occasion. Baba decided to trek back to his house, it’s not the first time he’s doing this sha,” the X video purports.
In the video, Putin can be seen laying flowers and greeting fellow mourners before pausing beside the casket. Following the event, Putin prepares to get into his car and then ultimately decides to take a solo walk.
The claim that the X video shows Prigozhin’s funeral is false, however. Check Your Fact conducted a reverse image search using screenshots from the video and found that it is comprised of two clips, both of which show Putin at his former Judo trainer Rakhlin’s funeral in 2013.
An August 2013 video posted to YouTube by Epsilon News Network matches the beginning of the X video where Putin lays flowers, greets mourners, and then pauses beside the casket.
The clip of Putin preparing to get in his car before deciding to go for a solo walk originally stems from an August 2013 Insider article highlighting the Russian President’s emotions at Rakhlin’s passing. The video includes a YouTube video of Putin going on his solo walk; however, playback is not available in the U.S. The article itself also notes Putin took a solo walk following the funeral.
Likewise, Putin was not set to attend Prigozhin’s funeral, according to The Hill. In addition, the claim is neither referenced on the Kremlin’s website nor its verified X account. (RELATED: Russia Today Headline Claiming Prigozhin’s Pilot Had Post-Vaccine Myocarditis Is Fabricated)
Check Your Fact has contacted the Kremlin for comment and will update this piece accordingly if one is received.