European Union foreign affairs spokesman Peter Stano said reports of Prigozhin's death were difficult to verify.

"Hardly anything that comes out of Russia these days is credible," he said.

He said that commenting on the possible political consequences of Prigozhin's death "would be pure speculation."

Stano said he did not expect the Wagner group's activities in Ukraine, Syria and Libya to cease due to the private paramilitary's links to the Kremlin.