One story dominates the front pages of Thursday’s newspapers as the plane crash which reportedly killed Yevgeny Prigozhin, the leader of the Wagner mercenary group, takes centre stage.
The Irish Times leads with the Prigozhin story and with news that gardaí have completed a major criminal investigation into the leadership figures of the Kinahan cartel.
In an interview with the Irish Examiner, the Garda’s top drug officer has warned open drug use will “surge” if Ireland decides to liberalise its laws.
A hospital has launched a review after newborn babies suffered head injuries while being delivered last year, the Irish Independent reports.
The Irish Daily Mail looks at the death of Yevgeny Prigozhin and asks “Was this Putin’s bloody revenge?”.
The Irish Daily Mirror and Irish Daily Star focus on street crime in Dublin after top gardaí held meetings with city centre businesses over the recent spate of violent attacks.
Police in the North have apologised to a man after it took 15 hours for officers to respond to his report that his life had been threatened, the Belfast Telegraph reports.
All of the British papers carry some mention of the Russian plane crash, with most featuring pictures of Mr Prigozhin – who led a failed mutiny against the Russian military in June – and flaming wreckage from the crash site north of Moscow.
The Daily Telegraph says Mr Prigozhin was one of 10 passengers who died in the crash, with security sources and allies pointing the finger Russian president Vladimir Putin.
The front page of tomorrow's Daily Telegraph:
'Prigozhin killed in plane crash, says Russia, as allies blame Putin'#TomorrowsPapersToday
Sign up for the Front Page newsletterhttps://t.co/x8AV4Oomry pic.twitter.com/0aLIcMeC7MAdvertisement— The Telegraph (@Telegraph) August 23, 2023
The Times also says Russian missiles have been blamed and describes Mr Prigozhin as the “Wagner boss who crossed Putin”.
Thursday’s TIMES: “Wagner boss who crossed Putin ‘killed’ in jet crash” #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/V9p1b71C9h
— Allie Hodgkins-Brown (@AllieHBNews) August 23, 2023
The i says the “Putin critic” was killed 60 days after the mutiny while the Financial Times reports Russian officials said Mr Prigozhin was on board the plane and that the US had warned he was in danger.
Thursday's front page: Wagner boss Prigozhin believed dead as private jet crashes over Russia#TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/qMplqIHOA8
— i newspaper (@theipaper) August 23, 2023
Thursday’s FINANCIAL Times: “Wagner boss Prigozhin was aboard crashed plane, say Russian officials” #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/AF1kC9OAiv
— Allie Hodgkins-Brown (@AllieHBNews) August 23, 2023
The Guardian simply says the Wagner chief was reported dead after the flight from Moscow to St Petersburg came down.
Thursday’s GUARDIAN: “Wagner chief Prigozhin reported dead after jet crash near Moscow” #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/fRIgRyiaif
— Allie Hodgkins-Brown (@AllieHBNews) August 23, 2023
The Sun and the Daily Mirror have no such uncertainty as they both opt for the headline “Putin’s Revenge” over a picture of the crash site.
On tomorrow's front page: Putin's revenge - Prigozhin assassination riddlehttps://t.co/V4h8iQclMe pic.twitter.com/orzoO3mBZ4
— The Sun (@TheSun) August 23, 2023
Thursday's front page: Putin's revenge #TomorrowsPapersToday https://t.co/wqNyVODns2 pic.twitter.com/znUd4pDhKM
— The Mirror (@DailyMirror) August 23, 2023
The Daily Express also uses a picture of the flaming wreckage as it declares Mr Prigozhin “paid the ultimate price” and says the incident was “no surprise”.
Front page: 'No surprise' Warlord enemy of Putin 'dies in crash' #tomorrowspapertoday
NHS trust paid thousands for advice on Lucy Letby https://t.co/Jz46f2SMDH pic.twitter.com/djZTkBtum2— Daily Express (@Daily_Express) August 23, 2023
And the Daily Star says “no one at all shocked” at the reported death of Mr Prigozhin.
Thursday's front page: What rotten luck!#TomorrowsPapersTodayhttps://t.co/FPvkSUhjJL pic.twitter.com/toRXgQY3ey
— Daily Star (@dailystar) August 23, 2023
The Metro bucks the trend, relegating the plane crash to a plug as it gives over most of its front page to Indian celebrations after it became the fourth nation to land a mission on the moon.
Tomorrow's Paper Today 📰
INDIA OVER THE MOON
🔴 Nation's Lunar Landing Joy pic.twitter.com/92K7TuACVr— Metro (@MetroUK) August 23, 2023
And The Independent celebrates victory for its campaign as an Afghan pilot is granted asylum after fighting with UK forces against the Taliban.
Tomorrow's @independent front page #tomorrowspaperstoday To subscribe to the Daily Edition https://t.co/koJc3LN1ax pic.twitter.com/fY8kjzFZWV
— Thair Shaikh (@ThairShaikh) August 23, 2023
