POLITICIANS, BUSINESSPEOPLE AND DIPLOMATS
Alex Oronov, 69, died March 6, 2017
Ukranian-born millionaire businessman with ties toDonald Trump and Russian business elite died in unexplained circumstances. The naturalized American citizen ran an agricultural business in Ukraine. Oronov also had family ties to Michael Cohen, Donald Trump’s personal lawyer by way of Cohen’s brother, Bryan, who was Oronov’s partner in an ethanol business in Ukraine.
Boris Nemtsov, died February 2015
In the 1990s, Nemtsov was one of the leaders of post-Soviet Russia’s “young reformers.” He became deputy prime minister and was, for a while, seen as possible presidential material. When Vladimir Putin ultimately succeeded Boris Yeltsin in 2000, Nemtsov was initially supportive. However, he grew increasingly critical and in February 2015 – in the midst of military involvement in Ukraine – Nemtsov was shot four times in the back. Putin took “personal control” of the investigation into Nemtsov’s murder, but the killer remains at large.
Boris Berezovsky, died in 2013
Berezovsky was crucial to Putin’s rise to power – including launching a media campaign smearing Boris Nemtsov as he competed to succeed Yeltsin. Soon after Putin took control, however, Berezovsky fell out with the leader and left Russia for self-exile in the United Kingdom. He declared from the UK that he would devote himself to bringing down Putin. At first, Berezovsky’s death was ruled a suicide after he was found dead inside a locked bathroom at his home in London with a noose around his neck in 2013. The coroner’s office could not conclusively determine the cause of death.
Stanislav Markelov and Anastasia Baburova, died in 2009
Markelov was a human rights lawyer who represented Chechen civilians in human rights cases and journalists who were harassed by the regime after writing articles critical of Putin. Markelov was shot by a masked gunman near the Kremlin and Baburova, a journalist, was fatally shot while trying to help him. Russian authorities said a neo-Nazi group was behind the killings, and two members of the group, who protested that they were framed, were convicted of the deaths.
Sergei Magnitsky died in 2009
Lawyer Sergei Magnitsky died in police custody in November 2009 after being brutally beaten and denied medical care. He had been working for British-American businessman William Browder to investigate a massive tax fraud case. Magnitsky was arrested after uncovering evidence suggesting that police officials were behind the fraud.
Alexander Litvinenko, died in 2006
The former KGB agent, after leaving, became a vocal critic of the agency. He died three weeks after drinking a cup of tea laced with deadly polonium-210 at a London hotel. An investigation found he was poisoned by Russian agents Andrei Lugovoi and Dmitry Kovtun, who were acting on orders that had ‘probably been approved’ by Putin. Russia refused to extradite them, and in 2015 the Russian president granted Lugovoi a medal for “services to the motherland.”
Sergei Yushenkov, died in 2003
A former army colonel, Yushenkov just registered his Liberal Russia movement as a political party when he was gunned down outside his Moscow home. He was in the midst of gathering evidence to prove Putin was behind one of the 1999 apartment bombings.
Vitaly Churkin, 64, died in February 2017
Russia’s permanent ambassador to the UN died in New York after suddenly becoming ill on his way to work the day before his 65th birthday. It was reported he suffered a heart attack, but an autopsy proved inconclusive.
Andrei Malanin, 55, died in January 2017
The Russian consul in Athens was found dead on the floor of his apartment in Greece. Greek police said there was no evidence of a break-in and he was believed to have died of natural causes.
Alexander Kadakin, 67, died in January 2017
Russia’s ambassador to India reportedly died of heart failure after a “brief illness”
Sergei Krivov, 63, died November 8, 2016
The senior Russian diplomat was found unconscious on the grounds outside his office at the Russian consulate in New York. He suffered severe and unexplained head injuries. Russian sources said he had fallen to his death following a heart attack, but a report from medical examiners was inconclusive.
Andrei Karlov, died December 19, 2016
The Russian ambassador to Turkey was killed by a policeman at a photography exhibition
Peter Polshikov, died December 18, 2016
The senior official at the Russian foreign ministry was shot dead in his Moscow apartment on the same day Andrei Karlov died
Oleg Erovinkin, died December 26, 2016
The former KGB chief, who is said to have provided former British MI6 operative Christopher Steele with material for a dossier on Donald Trump, was found dead in the back of his car. Russian officials claimed he died of a heart attack.
JOURNALISTS
2000:
Ludmila Zamana Artyom Borovik Oleg Polukeyev Boris Gashev
Georgy Garibyan Oleg Goryansky Raif Ablyashev Sergei Loginov
Pavel Asaulchenko Nikolai Karmanov Valery Kondakov
Igor Domnikov – Struck over the head with a hammer in the stairwell of his apartment building, resulting in a two-month coma
Sergei Novikov – Shot in contract killing in stairwell of his apartment building
Iskander Khatloni – Killed in axe attack outside his apartment
Sergei Ivanov – Important player in political scene as TV director, Ivanov was shot five times in the head and chest in front of his apartment building
Adam Tepsurkayev – Shot at his neighbour’s house
2001:
Eduard Burmagin Leonid Grigoryev Andrei Pivovarov Oleg Dolgantsev
Vladimir Kirsanov Andrei Sheiko Elina Voronova Oleg Vedenin
Alexander Babaikin Boris Mityurev
Eduard Markevich – Shot in the back in a contract killing
2002:
Svetlana Makarenko Konstantin Pogodin Natalya Skryl Valery Batuyev
Sergei Kalinovsky Vitaly Sakhn-Vald Leonid Shevchenko Valery Ivanov
Alexander Plotnikov Pavel Morozov Nikolai Razmolodin Maria Lisichkina
Sergei Zhabin Nikolai Vasiliev Paavo Voutilainen Igor Salikov
Yelena Popova Leonid Plotnikov Dmitry Shalayev
Oleg Sedinko – Contract killing by explosive in a stairwell
2003:
Vladimir Sukhomlin – Off-duty police convicted of his murder
Ali Astamirov – Went missing in Nazran
Yury Tishkov Sergei Verbitsky Alikhan Guliyev Martin Kraus
Alexei Sidorov Alexei Bakhtin Yury Bugrov Pyotr Babenko
Dmitry Shvets – Shot dead outside his TV offices after station received multiple threats for its reporting on local politicians
Yury Shchekochikhin – Died from an acute allergic reaction a few days before his planned trip to the U.S. to discuss with the FBI the results of his journalist investigation into the Three Whales Corruption Scandal that involved high-ranking FSB officials
2004:
Yefim Sukhanov Shangysh Mongush Paul Klebnikov Zoya Ivanova
Pail Peloyan Vladimir Naumov Svetlana Shishkina Vladimir Pritchin
Jan Travinsky Maxim Maximov – Body not found
2005:
Alexander Pitersky Kira Lezhneva
2005:
Vagif Kochetkov – killed and robbed Oksana Teslo – Arson attack
Ilya Zimin Oleg Barabyshkin Vyacheslav Akatov Anton Kretenchuk
Yevgeny Gerasimenko Anatoly Kozulin Anatoly Voronin Vadim Kuznetsov
Alexander Petrov – Murdered with family while on holiday in Altai Republic by under-age murderer
Anna Politkovskaya – Shot in apartment building’s elevator
2006:
Yury Shebalkin Konstantin Borovko Ivan Safronov
Leonid Etkind – Abduction and homicide
Marina Pisareva – found dead at her country cottage
2007:
Yelena Shestakova – Killer sent to psychiatric prison
Gadji Abashilov – Shot in his car
Ilyas Shurpayev – Strangled with a belt by robbers in Moscow
Mikhail Beketov Beketov – Suffered brain damage and lost a leg after a brutal assault in 2008, died five years later
2008:
Magomed Yevloyev – Shot dead while in police custody
Shafig Amrakhov – Shot and wounded by an unknown assailant at his apartment and later died in hospital
2009:
Vladislav Zakharchuk – Died in a fire that engulfed a newspaper office
Stanislav Markelov – Shot and killed by a masked gunman
Anastasia Baburova – Died alongside Stanislav Marekelov after being shot
Sergei Protazanov – Found unconscious at his home
Vyacheslav Yaroshenko – Died of wounds from a severe beating
Natalia Estemirova – Kidnapped outside her home, shot several times — including a point-blank shot in the head — and dumped in the nearby woods
Malik Akhmedilov – Found shot dead Maksharip Aushev – Shot
Olga Kotovskaya – Fell out the window on 14th floor of a building. Authorities classified death as suicide while colleagues believe she was murdered
2010:
Konstantin Popov – Beaten to death by Russian police while in custody
Ivan Stepanov – Stabbed to death
Maxim Zuyev – Went missing and later found murdered in apartment
Bella Ksalova – Fatally injured after being hit by a vehicle near her home
Malika Betiyeva – Killed along with four members of her family when a speeding vehicle hit hers on a highway
2011:
Gadzhimurat Kamalov – Shot six times in a drive-by shooting outside his newspaper’s office
2012:
Kazbek Gekkiev – Shot dead after receiving death threats from extremists
2013
Akhmednabi Akhmednabiyev – Killed while driving
2014
Timur Kuashev – Abducted from his home and later found dead
2017
Yevgeny Khamaganov – Died of unexplained causes
Nikolay Andrushchenko – Died from wounds he received from a beating
Dmitry Popkov – Found dead from gunshot wounds at a bathhouse
2018
Maksim Borodin – Fell out the window at his apartment. Authorities classified death as suicide while colleagues reject the notion
Denis Suvorov – Found dead after being stabbed
Sergei Grachyov – Went missing, body was found 11 days later
Yegor Orlov – Disappeared, his body was later found in a river