Ukraine claims to have destroyed the headquarters of a notorious pro-Kremlin private army the Wagner group while one of Vladimir Putin 's closest allies was visiting the base.
'Putin's chef' Yevgeny Prigozhin, 61, was visiting the frontline base in Popasna at the time.
However, reports that he was killed in the audacious strike have not yet been confirmed.
One account has recalled that the tycoon was wounded on the frontline, and was immediately evacuated to Burdenko hospital in Moscow.
However, allies of Prigozhin have hit back at these claims, and denied he was injured by a long-range missile.
“He is alive, even swearing," a source from Popasna - not related to the Wagner group - told the VCHK-OGPU Telegram channel.
Another source close to Wagner has also denied Prigozhin had been killed, saying: "This is not the first time they have buried him,” noting earlier Ukrainian reports had wrongly reported his death in a previous incidents.
“So there will probably be no official denials this time either. They are simply not needed,” added the account.
However, there has been a claim of “mild panic”, as Prigozhin has not been seen since the wake of the strike.
Although, there have been confirmations that the base of the shadowy Wagner private army frontline HQ was targeted.
Video footage and pictures show the scene after the missile strike in Popasna, in Russian-occupied Luhansk region.
One grainy clip from a top of a building shows one of the men leaving a building.
While another, filmed in between some shrubs, shows three Wagner mercenaries convened around a truck.
They are then seen crouching to the ground, but it is unclear whether they are picking something up.
Reports have indicated that there were dead and wounded from the hit where Putin's billionaire pal was present.
It appears the base in Popasna was deliberately targeted by a High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) missile - with knowledge that Prigozhin was visiting.
'Putin's chef' came about his nickname and prominence after his restaurants and catering businesses arranging lavish Kremlin functions for the Russian president.
He was also heavily linked to pro-Putin troll factories, which pumped out supportive propaganda in Russia and the West - and to the Wagner private army which is still active in Ukraine, Syria and Africa.
However, the tyrant's so-called chef has had to dispute any links to the Wagner Group. There have been claims he has been seen personally recruiting prisoners - including convicted murderers - to fight in the war in Ukraine.
He reportedly told inmates: “I was jailed, too.
“Now I am a Hero of Russia. We need your skills.”
And the Russian despot last month awarded him the country’s top honour, despite being jailed for robbery, fraud, and involving teenagers in crime during Soviet times.
The Wagner Group - often described as a private military company (PMC) - is a network of mercenaries, or a de facto private army of Russian President Putin.
Wagner has recently recruited prison inmates and civilian ‘mercenaries’ to bolster Russian forces at the front.
The private army is seen as crucial to Putin’s war effort on the frontlines amid claims over the failings of his regular forces.
However, they have recently been accused of supplying a 'cannon fodder' to Putin’s war effort. The cannon fodder were used as a target for face of enemy fire.
