The long list of dubious deaths in Putin's entourage since the invasion of Ukraine

Since the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, at least 24 prominent figures, including officials, businessmen, opponents, journalists and artists, have died in suspicious circumstances. These deaths, which include falls from windows, alleged suicides, heart attacks and violent murders, have generated speculation about possible executions orchestrated by the Kremlin.

Context

The invasion of Ukraine intensified internal tensions in Russia, especially among elites close to the Kremlin, opponents and figures who could pose a threat to Vladimir Putin's regime. The deaths occurred against a backdrop of political repression, international sanctions and growing paranoia within the Russian power circle. Many victims had direct or indirect ties to the government, while others were outspoken critics of the regime or involved in sensitive activities.

Documented Cases

Leonid Shulman (01/30/2022)

Relationship with the government: head of transportation at Gazprom, the Kremlin-controlled Russian state energy giant.

Circumstances of death: found dead in the bathroom of his country house in Leninsky, Leningrad region with stab wounds and a suicide note. Shulman died days before the invasion.

Details: his position at Gazprom linked him directly to the government, as the company is an economic and political pillar of Russia. The suicide note and the injuries raised doubts about the official version, according to which Shulman took his own life.

Alexander Tyulakov (02/25/2022)

Relationship with the government: senior Gazprom executive, working in the financial division of the state-owned company.

Circumstances of death: found hanged in his garage in St. Petersburg, with a suicide note and marks of blows on the body, according to the official version.

Details: as a senior Gazprom official, he had access to sensitive financial information. The marks of violence suggest that the suicide may have been staged.

Mikhail Watford (02/28/2022)

Relationship to the Government: Russian-Ukrainian energy oligarch with historical ties to the Kremlin through oil deals.

Circumstances of death: found hanged in his mansion in Surrey, England.

Details: although he resided abroad, his business dealings connected him to Russian elites. British police suspected he might be on a list of Kremlin targets.

Vladislav Avayev (04/19/2022)

Relationship with the government: former vice-president of Gazprombank, the financial arm of Gazprom, closely linked to the Kremlin.

Circumstances of death: found dead with his wife and daughter in Moscow. The official version suggests that his wife killed them and committed suicide.

Details: Igor Volobuyev, a former colleague at Gazprombank, claimed in statements to The Insider that the crime was staged, suggesting that Avayev knew too much.

Yevgeny Palant (April 2022)

Relationship with the government: billionaire in the telecommunications sector, with indirect government contracts.

Circumstances of death: found dead next to his wife with stab wounds. The official version indicates that she killed him and committed suicide because he was planning to separate from her.

Details: his links to the government were less direct, but his wealth and contracts placed him in the orbit of the Kremlin.

Sergei Protosenya (04/19/2022)

Relationship with the Government: former executive of Novatek, Russia's largest liquefied gas producer, with strong ties to the Kremlin.

Circumstances of death: found dead with his wife and daughter in Lloret de Mar, Spain. The official version points to a murder-suicide.

Details: his son denied that his father was the perpetrator, suggesting an external murder. Novatek is key to Russian energy exports.

Andrei Krukovsky (01/05/2022)

Relationship with the government: businessman with contracts in the energy sector, indirectly linked to the Kremlin.

Circumstances of death: died after falling from a cliff in Sochi, listed as an accident.

Details: lack of details about his death and business connections fuel speculation.

Ravil Maganov (01/09/2022)

Relationship with the government: chairman of Lukoil, Russia's second-largest oil company, with strained relations with the Kremlin after criticizing the invasion.

Circumstances of death: fell from a window of the Moscow Central Clinical Hospital, where he was hospitalized for a heart attack.

Details: Lukoil issued a critical statement on the war, which may have put him in the government's crosshairs. Those close to Maganov ruled out suicide.

Yuriy Voronov (04/07/2022)

Relationship to the Government: executive of a Gazprom contractor, with direct ties to the Kremlin.

Circumstances of death: found dead in his swimming pool at his mansion in St. Petersburg with a gunshot wound to the head and a gun nearby.

Details: his company depended on state contracts, and his death coincides with tensions in the energy sector.

Ivan Pechorin (10/09/2022)

Relationship with the government: director of the Arctic Development Corporation, a Russian state-owned entity.

Circumstances of death: died after "falling overboard" while sailing in the Pacific, near Vladivostok, according to the official version.

Details: his role in strategic Arctic projects connected him to the government. The nature of his death is highly suspicious.

Vladimir Budanov (12/25/2022)

Relationship to the Government: a businessman with unspecified ties to the Kremlin. Friend of meat businessman Pavel Antov, who died two days later.

Circumstances of death: died of an alleged heart attack in a hotel in India.

Details: lack of information on his exact connections makes analysis difficult, but his relationship to Antov suggests a possible perceived threat.

Pavel Antov (12/27/2022)

Relationship to the government: meat magnate and regional deputy, member of United Russia, but critical of the invasion of Ukraine.

Circumstances of death: fell from the third floor of a hotel in Odisha, India. Officially it was declared a suicide.

Details: his public criticism of the war brought him into conflict with the Kremlin. His death, following Budanov's, appears coordinated.

Dmitry Zelenov (09/12/2022)

Relationship with the Government: real estate businessman with investments in Russia, indirectly linked to the Kremlin.

Circumstances of death: died after falling down a staircase in France as a result of an alleged heart attack.

Details: his business dealings connected him to Russian elites, but there is no direct evidence of opposition to the government.

Alexei Navalny (02/16/2024)

Relationship with the Government: opposition leader, fierce critic of Putin and founder of the Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK).

Circumstances of death: died in an Arctic prison from an alleged sudden death syndrome. His family accuses the Kremlin of murder.

Details: Navalny was Putin's main political opponent, with investigations exposing regime corruption. His death is seen as a political execution.

Yevgeny Prigozhin (08/23/2023)

Relationship with the government: leader of the Russian paramilitary group Wagner, Putin's ally until his rebellion in June 2023.

Circumstances of death: died in an alleged plane crash following his attempted uprising against Moscow.

Details: some sources suggest that Nikolai Patrushev, close to Putin, orchestrated the bombing of the plane. His rebellion made him a traitor to the Kremlin.

Marina Yankina (02/16/2023)

Relationship to the Government: senior official in the Ministry of Defense, in charge of finances in the Baltic region.

Circumstances of death: fell from a window in St. Petersburg. Officially it was stated that Yankina committed suicide.

Details: her access to sensitive military financial information made her vulnerable in a context of corruption and sanctions.

Dmitry Pawochka (2023)

Relationship with the Government: executive linked to Roscosmos (Russia's state organization responsible for the spaceflight and cosmonautics program) and other Russian companies.

Circumstances of death: died in a fire in a building in Moscow, reportedly caused by falling asleep with a lit cigarette.

Details: the lack of clear details and the context of other suspicious deaths of figures close to the Kremlin suggest a possible cover-up. Roscosmos is a strategic sector for Russia, adding to speculation about his death.

Vladimir Egorov (12/27/2023)

Relationship with the government: regional deputy of United Russia, Putin's party, in Tobolsk.

Circumstances of death: fell from a window in Tobolsk. Officially considered an accident.

Details: as a member of United Russia, he was aligned with the Kremlin, but his death follows the pattern of suspicious falls.

Vitaly Robertus (03/14/2024)

Relationship with the government: vice-president of Lukoil, under investigation for bribery.

Circumstances of death: official version indicates that he committed suicide in his office in Moscow.

Details: corruption investigation and Lukoil's critical stance on the war could have put him in the Kremlin's crosshairs.

Victoria Roshchyna (09/19/2024)

Relationship with the Government: Ukrainian journalist, with no direct ties to the Russian Government, but critical of the invasion.

Circumstances of death: died after being tortured in Russian detention. Her body was handed over to Ukraine.

Details: her death reflects Russian repression against journalists covering the conflict, although she was neither Russian nor linked to the Kremlin.

Vadim Stroikin (05/02/2025)

Relationship with the Government: Russian singer-songwriter, with no clear links to the Government and critical of the invasion of Ukraine.

Circumstances of death: he threw himself from the window of his apartment on a ninth floor in Moscow, according to the official version.

Details: lack of information about his relationship with the regime makes it difficult to determine whether his death was political.

Roman Starovoit (07/07/2025)

Relationship with the government: former transport minister and former governor of Kursk, dismissed by Putin hours before his death.

Circumstances of death: according to the official version, he committed suicide in his vehicle.

Details: his dismissal and immediate death suggest a possible settling of scores within the Kremlin.

Andrei Korneichuk (07/07/2025)

Relationship with the government: deputy head of the Ministry of Transport, working under Starovoit.

Circumstances of death: died suddenly of a heart problem at his workplace, according to authorities.

Details: his death, coinciding with Starovoit's, points to a possible internal purge in the Transport Ministry.

Andrei Badalov (July 2025)

Relationship with the government: deputy chairman of Transneft, the state-owned pipeline company.

Circumstances of death: fell from a window, leaving a supposed farewell note.

Details: his role in Transneft, a strategic company, linked him to the Kremlin. The suicide note follows the pattern of dubious deaths.

Too many 'coincidences'

Most of the victims had ties to the Russian government, either as officials, executives of state-owned companies or businessmen with government contracts. Others, such as Navalny and Prigozhin, were perceived opponents or traitors, while Roshchyna, as a foreign journalist, represents external repression.

Falls from windows, gunshot wounds and sudden heart attacks are recurring methods, suggesting a pattern of covert executions. The lack of transparent investigations reinforces suspicions of Kremlin involvement.