Russian President Vladimir Putin praised mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin as a talented businessman on Thursday and said he wished to express sincere condolences to the families of those who died in a plane crash a day earlier.

Putin added in televised comments that it was necessary to await the outcome of the official investigation into the crash, in which all 10 people on board were killed, saying the examination would take some time.

Source: France 24