There is also Putin's reaction after the plane crash in which Yevgeny Prigozhin is said to have died

In his first comments on the plane crash that reportedly killed Wagner Group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin and nine others, Vladimir Putin has sent his condolences.

According to foreign media, Telegrafi reports, the Russian president went on to describe Prigozhin as a "talented businessman", whom he has known since the 1990s.

He said Russia would consider what investigators say about the crash, but further details on the incident would take time.

Read too What will happen to the Wagner group now?

His comments come 24 hours after the plane crashed north of Moscow.

Speaking earlier today at a trade summit in South Africa, Putin said nothing about the crash, sticking to a pre-written speech.

Meanwhile, some Western experts believe that Putin may have ordered an assassination - although this cannot be verified.

Russian emergency services have said that the bodies of 10 people from the downed plane have been found.

According to authorities, among those on board were Wagner Group boss Yevgeny Prigozhin and his second-in-command Dmitry Utkin - the man who gave the mercenary group its name.

Now the focus of the case is on the investigation of what caused the crash.

Police had cordoned off the area around the crash site and the Russian Aviation Authority has formed a special commission to investigate.

Many Russians did not express surprise when news of Prigozhin's supposed death broke.

When Prigozhin launched a failed rebellion two months ago, he also challenged the authority of Russian President Vladimir Putin himself. /Telegraph/