Why Are Russian Senior Officials Dying inexplicably?

Something sinister is said to be going on among Russia's mega-wealthy. The phrase "Russian Death Syndrome" has been used jokingly, but the Russian oligarchs who might be next are not amused. The question on everyone's mind is what connects all of these fatalities, and that's what we'll look into today. 💉🤢🤮🤢💉

It was the eve of Christmas, and a terrible tremor could be heard throughout an Indian hotel. A wealthy Russian politician, businessman, and former opponent of Vladimir Putin flew through the air before crashing to the ground with a resounding thud while most people were comfortably tucked up in their beds. As a result, what started out as a wintertime nap turned into an eternal journey to heaven? He was just one of a number of Russian oligarchs who recently passed away inexplicably in circumstances that would cause even the most cynical of you to mutter the word conspiracy. The mega-wealthy of Russia are rumored to be involved in some evil activity. Although the term "Russian Death Syndrome" has been used ironically, the Russian oligarchs who could be the next are unaware of the joke.

The question on everyone's mind is "what ties all these deaths together," and that is what we will look into today. We just spoke about Pavel Antov. After booking into that hotel on December 22 with three of his friends, the 65-year-old had just recently celebrated his birthday. Given Antov's wealth, we believe his lodging—the Hotel Sai International in the eastern Indian state of Odisha's Rayagada—was rather subpar. Antov was reportedly worth at least 140 million dollars, while rooms in January cost about $40 per night. But that night's lack of luxury isn't what we're here to discuss. Given that Antov recently joined a long list of oligarchs who have passed away, the manner of his death is what we are interested in learning about.

That Antov's body wasn't examined by a pathologist is one of the obstacles to discovering the truth. The Russian government in India had previously approved his cremation, so it happened the day after he passed away. Given that he had fallen from three floors, the cause of death was pretty obvious, but the question of how he got there should catch your attention. Was he pushed or is there another explanation for this? As it stands, we don't know, but the Indian police are treating the death suspiciously for good reason. In any case, this millionaire, who had amassed a sizable fortune through his business dealings in sausages of all things, and who had been a successful lawmaker in Russia's Vladimir Oblast, had been enjoying himself up until two days before his passing.

I'll soon explain what changed his mood. The crime branch in that region of India was alerted to the situation, but because he had already been cremated, their investigation was somewhat hindered by the absence of a body. Just a quick point before we continue that we feel you should be aware of. Antov reportedly made negative remarks about a Russian missile attack on an apartment building in the Shevchenkivskyi neighborhood of Kiev during Russia's invasion of Ukraine. It's extremely difficult to describe this as anything other than terror, he wrote on WhatsApp, mentioning people being rescued from the rubble. You're going to hear a lot of strange things today, but the strange thing is that he quickly deleted the message and replaced it with a declaration that he was a patriot of my nation.

We wonder what caused him to have a change of heart. Later, he claimed he had nothing to do with the message and that the author was a critic of Russia's purported special operation, adding that he did not share this man's views in the least. The top police officers in Odisha claimed that they interrogated every person at the hotel and every member of the staff. They explained that they had searched the Russians' rooms 319 and 401 and taken valuables like laptops and cell phones out of them. They spoke with Mikhail Turov and Natalia Pane Senko, two additional Russians. As you probably noticed, we stated that there were four Russians who had reservations at the hotel. The other person was also now nothing more than a pile of cremated ashes, so the police were unable to interview him. He was 61-year-old Vladimir Bydenov, a close friend of Antov's and a very wealthy individual.

When Bydenov collapsed and passed away, it was around the night of Antov's birthday celebrations while they were both in the same bed. We don't know the exact cause of his death, but early reports suggested that it may have been a heart attack or stroke. Even a drug overdose could have been the cause, according to Al Jazeera. Although it was claimed that both men had been drinking a lot of wine, a drug overdose is typically not caused by excessive alcohol consumption. According to Alexey Idamkin, the Russian consul general in India, neither death was suspicious, nor are they not being handled as a criminal matter in Russia. He explained that the first was due to his deteriorating health, and the second was brought on by his sorrow over the loss of a close friend. However, given what has recently happened to Russian oligarchs, something just doesn't ring true.

At least Indian investigators are still looking into whether these cases involve crimes. They were able to obtain the cremated remains on New Year's Eve so that pathologists could conduct additional forensic investigations. Something still being discovered is not implausible. Any forensic pathologist will inform you that cremated remains can contain traces of poison when examined in a laboratory for forensic toxicology. The National Human Rights Commission of India is reportedly investigating the matter as well. Some of you may now believe there is nothing to be suspicious of. After all, recent events have been very difficult for Russian oligarchs, who have had to tread carefully when it comes to the situation in Ukraine and have had their assets frozen in several nations.

You speculate that perhaps there is a valid explanation for why they would be ill and depressed. In such a stressful environment, some people are bound to have perished from a variety of non-criminal causes. At the end of the narrative, let's check to see if you're still saying it. The deaths of two men in a hotel in the space of two days would just be described as an unfortunate incident by Vladimir Putin, who used to make sure most oligarchs kept all the money many of them had stolen from Russia. And, yes, he does forgive Antov for disparaging Russia's bombing of an apartment building, he would probably reply. However, the deaths of those two men represent just the tip of a larger bloody iceberg. For instance, the sudden death of a man by the name of Ravil Maganov last year, which was about as suspicious as it gets.

Maganov had been extremely critical of the invasion of Ukraine, so it was noteworthy. Maganov served as chairman of the sizable national oil company Lukoil until his death. Maganov, the chairman of the board, and the other board members publicly referred to the invasion as a tragedy. We firmly support a long-lasting cease-fire and the resolution of disputes through serious negotiations and diplomacy, according to another statement. By saying that, they were undoubtedly treading on dangerous ground, and Putin was undoubtedly incensed by their treachery. However, Lukoil was well aware that it had to tread lightly in terms of how the rest of the world perceived the invasion if it wanted to keep its business booming and continue with its planned expansion in Europe and Africa. Putin wasn't impressed.

When Maganov, like Antov, took a flight in September while a patient at the Central Clinical Hospital in Moscow, he did so this time from the sixth floor. On its website, Lukoil announced that its chairman had died after a lengthy illness, only adding, "Lukoil's many thousands of employees mourn deeply for this grievous loss and extend their sincere condolences to Ravil Maganov's family.” Maganov was reportedly hospitalized for heart problems, but Russian TV news reports noted that he was also taking antidepressant medication at the time of his fall. There wasn't much more said, but Reuters spoke with Maganov's friends and family, who said his mental state was sound before he was admitted to the hospital. According to a different report, Maganov was in good mental health and may have simply fallen off the balcony after going outside for a smoke.

It appears that repairs prevented the security cameras from operating at the time, which could have captured the action. Though it must be said that this next story has a hint of black humor to it, if, of course, you didn't know the victim. Hmm, doesn't that always seem to be the case with high-profile deaths? If this is starting to sound dark, it's about to get pitch-black. Alexander Subbotin, who was 43 years old, had, surprise, also served as a senior executive for Lukoil. His passing is the quintessential bizarre death. According to a Russian news agency, this billionaire had been attempting to obtain what some sources claim to be a cure for a hangover. However, it appears more likely that he was searching for something that could aid in his detoxification from either drug or alcohol abuse. According to the report, he eventually found himself in a Moscow home where a shaman was thought to have lived and who possessed some sort of antidote to ease withdrawal symptoms.

According to the news source, Subbotin was subjected to Jamaican voodoo rituals that involved injecting him with toad venom or at the very least applying it to a small cut on his skin. It's odd that a billionaire would choose a highly experimental treatment when he could afford the best detox that money could buy. People do actually do this to induce a psychedelic experience, and there are some cases of people doing it as a method of detoxification. That is exactly what he did, according to Russian law enforcement, and he then experienced a heart attack. In the same report, it was stated that he received some valerian root before passing away the following day at home. The Russian police claimed to be looking into the matter, but we aren't sure what happened after that. Leonid Shulman, another high-ranking executive who perished, was the Director of Transport at Russia's massive energy corporation, Gazprom, one of the largest publicly traded companies in the world.

He was discovered at the beginning of 2022 in his cottage close to Leningrad. Although it was later reported that he had been found covered in blood next to a note, the cause of death was not initially given by the Russian media. In the same village where Shulman had died, 61-year-old Alexander Tyulyakov was discovered dead just over a month later. At Gazprom, he was a senior executive as well. We don't know what was written in the note, but we do know that a few news reports claimed he may have been beaten before passing away. When a group of heavy hitters arrived in three SUVs, forensics was already working, the Leningrad Region Investigative Committee told the press. We were placed outside the house's fence along with the majority of the police after they claimed to be Gazprom's security service and surrounded the area.

Regarding these fatalities, Gazprom made no press statements. The CEO of a subcontracting company that worked for Gazprom, a 61-year-old man, was also discovered dead in Leningrad in July. He went by the name of Yuri Voronov. He'd made millions from his business, like the others, but suddenly seemed to get very depressed, at his mansion, a pool where his body was discovered. He had a hole in his head, and a Grand Power semi-automatic pistol was lying nearby.