The mystery surrounding the suspicious deaths of Russian oligarchs

Russia is a country where power and wealth are often intertwined, and where those who challenge the authority of President Vladimir Putin may face deadly consequences. In the past year, several Russian oligarchs and prominent politicians have died in mysterious circumstances, raising suspicions of foul play by the Kremlin.

Some of the victims were outspoken critics of Putin, who has been accused of corruption, human rights violations, and aggression against neighboring countries. Others were former allies who fell out of favor or became rivals in the lucrative oil and gas sector. All of them had something in common: they posed a threat to Putin’s grip on power.

In this blog post, we will examine some of the most notable cases of suspicious deaths of Russian oligarchs and politicians, and explore the possible motives and methods behind them. We will also look at how these deaths have affected the political landscape in Russia, and what they mean for the future of democracy and stability in the region.

The Poisonings

One of the most notorious methods of assassination used by the Russian state is poisoning. This technique has a long history in the Soviet and Russian intelligence services, dating back to the Cold War era. Poisoning offers several advantages for the perpetrators: it is discreet, hard to trace, and can be easily disguised as a natural cause of death.

The most famous case of poisoning linked to Putin is that of Alexander Litvinenko, a former KGB officer who defected to the UK and became a vocal critic of the Kremlin. In 2006, he was poisoned with polonium-210, a rare and highly radioactive substance, in a London hotel. He died three weeks later, after accusing Putin of ordering his murder. A British inquiry later concluded that two Russian agents had killed Litvinenko, probably with Putin’s approval.

Another prominent victim of poisoning was Sergei Skripal, a former Russian military intelligence officer who had become a double agent for the UK. In 2018, he and his daughter Yulia were poisoned with novichok, a nerve agent developed by the Soviet Union, in Salisbury, England. They survived, but a British woman who came into contact with the poison later died. The UK and its allies blamed Russia for the attack, and expelled dozens of Russian diplomats. Russia denied any involvement, but a joint investigation by Bellingcat and The Insider identified two suspects as members of the GRU, Russia’s military intelligence agency.

The most recent case of poisoning that has drawn international attention is that of Alexei Navalny, the founder of the Anti-Corruption Foundation and the most prominent opposition leader in Russia. In August 2020, he fell ill on a flight from Siberia to Moscow, and was taken to a hospital in Omsk. He was later transferred to Germany, where doctors confirmed that he had been poisoned with novichok. Navalny accused Putin of being behind the assassination attempt, and vowed to return to Russia to continue his fight against corruption. In January 2021, he was arrested upon his arrival in Moscow, and sentenced to two and a half years in prison for violating the terms of a suspended sentence from a previous case that he claims was politically motivated.

The Shootings

Another common method of killing used by the Russian state is shooting. This method is more direct and brutal than poisoning, and often sends a clear message of intimidation to the target’s associates and supporters. Shooting can also be carried out by hired hitmen or proxies, making it harder to trace the origin of the order.

One of the most shocking cases of shooting linked to Putin is that of Boris Nemtsov, a former deputy prime minister and a leader of the opposition. In 2015, he was shot four times in the back as he walked across a bridge near the Kremlin, with his girlfriend by his side. He died on the spot, leaving behind a trail of blood and flowers. Nemtsov was a vocal critic of Putin, and had been working on a report exposing Russia’s involvement in the war in Chechnya. Five men, all from Chechnya, were convicted of his murder, but the mastermind behind the plot remains unknown. Many suspect that the Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, a loyal ally of Putin, was involved.

The Crashes

A third method of killing used by the Russian state is causing or sabotaging a plane or a car crash. This method is more complex and risky than the others, as it requires more planning and coordination, and may result in collateral damage. However, it can also be more effective and spectacular, as it can eliminate multiple targets at once, and create a sense of chaos and confusion.

One of the most recent cases of crashing linked to Putin is that of Yevgeny Prigozhin, the founder and chief of the Wagner Group, a private military company that has been involved in several conflicts and covert operations on behalf of the Kremlin. In 2023, he died in a plane crash near Moscow, along with several other members of his group, including Dmitry Utkin, the co-founder of Wagner. The plane had taken off from a military airfield, and had been flying in bad weather conditions. The Russian authorities said that the crash was caused by a technical malfunction, but some experts and witnesses suggested that it may have been a deliberate act of sabotage. Prigozhin had been in a feud with the Russian military over the control and funding of Wagner, and had led a mutiny against the top army brass in June. He had also been sanctioned by the US and the EU for his role in meddling in the 2016 US presidential election, and in supporting the war in Ukraine and the regime in Syria.

The Implications

The suspicious deaths of Russian oligarchs and politicians have raised serious questions about the state of democracy and human rights in Russia, and the role of the Kremlin in the international arena. They have also sparked outrage and protests among the Russian people, who demand justice and accountability for the victims and their families.

However, the Russian authorities have denied any involvement or responsibility for the killings, and have dismissed the allegations as part of a Western conspiracy to discredit and destabilize Russia. They have also cracked down on the opposition and the independent media, and have tightened their control over the judiciary and the security services.