Russian President Vladimir Putin has broken his silence about the plane crash that took place outside Moscow on Wednesday, almost 24 hours after the incident.

He sent his condolences to the families of those who died in the crash without confirming by name if Wagner group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin, who was listed as a passenger on the plane, had died.

Here is a translation by Reuters news agency of what Putin said:

“As for the aviation tragedy, first of all I want to express my most sincere condolences to the families of all the victims.

“It is always a tragedy. Indeed, if employees of the Wagner company were there, and the preliminary data indicate they were, I would like to note that these people made a significant contribution to our common cause of combating the neo-Nazi regime in Ukraine, we remember this, we know it and we shall not forget.