Since the start of the war in Ukraine, up to 18 serving and former members of the Russian high command have died – many in unexplained circumstances.
National Security News lists the Russian generals and senior politicians – some of whom fell out of favour with President Vladimir Putin – who have died in the last two years from suicide, shootings, falls from windows, and plane crashes.
Magomed Khandayev – 9 July 2024
Khandayev, 61, was head of the State Expertise Directorate of the Russian Ministry of Defence, a unit responsible for evaluating and approving the design and construction of military facilities and infrastructure.
He had a long career in the Russian military and government, and held various positions related to construction and troop deployment.
Cause of Death: Has not yet been disclosed.
There is speculation that Khandayev’s death is linked to his ties to Timur Ivanov, former Deputy Minister of Defence. Ivanov is accused of accepting large bribes and Khandayev was due to testify in the corruption trial.
Vladimir Egorov – 27 December 2023
Egorov, 46, was a member of the ruling United Russia part and considered as an ally of Putin.
He founded a law firm and also chaired the Tobolsk’s land relations and forestry committee.
Later he started a recreation centre and was elected as deputy chairman of Tobolsk City Duma.
Egorov was once convicted for failing to collect rent from businesses leasing public land, but charges were dropped due to the statute of limitations expiring.
Cause of Death: Fell from a third-floor window in his house
Vladimir Sviridov – November 2023
Sviridov, 68, was a Russian army officer and the former Commander of the 6thAir Force and Air Defence Army serving from 2005 to 2009.
Sviridov was awarded the Order of the Red Star and became an honoured military pilot of Russia.
He reportedly criticised Putin in an interview for allowing a “third-ranking” air force by not providing pilots with adequate training. Sviridov also highlighted issues of pay and poor conditions in the armed forces.
Cause of Death: Found dead at home with his wife.
No official cause of death was given, but media reports suggested carbon monoxide poisoning.
Yevgeny Prigozhin – 23 August 2023
Prigozhin, 62, chief of Wagner Group mercenary, led fighters in Russia’s war against Ukraine in the Battle of Bakhmut.
Prigozhin started his career as caterer and restaurateur, and then earned himself the name “Putin’s chef” as he was awarded major state contracts.
He founded and financed the Internet Research Agency, a company engaged in influence operations, also believed to have interfered with the U.S. 2016 presidential elections.
In June 2023, Prigozhin led his forces towards Moscow in a brief uprising against Russia’s military leadership, after criticising the Ukraine invasion. Prigozhin and his troops stood down within a day and he agreed to depart for Belarus to avoid prosecution.
Cause of Death: Killed in a private jet which crashed on its way from Moscow to St Petersburg, along with Dmitry Utkin and Valery Chekalov (see below).
Wagner Group allege that the plane was shot down by Russian air defences. The U.S. government and aviation experts say the plane was downed by a bomb onboard or other sabotage.
Dmitry Utkin – 23 August 2023
Utkin, 53, was a retired special forces officer and served in the GRU, Russian military intelligence.
He served as a lieutenant colonel in Russia’s two wars in Chechnya between 1994-2000
Utkin is reported to have been Prigozhin’s right-hand man and was involved in the Wagner group since its early days in 2014.
Cause of Death: Plane crash.
Valery Chekalov – 23 August 2023
Chekalov, 47, was head of Wagner logistics.
Chekalov was a close confidant of Prigozhin, controlling several of his front companies that managed mercenaries, secured weapons, and ran oil, gas and mineral business operations in Syria and Africa.
Prior to joining Wagner, he served in the Russian Navy.
Cause of Death: Plane crash.
Pyotr Kucherenko – 20 May 2023
Kucherenko, 46, was Russia’s deputy science minister, and had allegedly criticised the invasion of Ukraine in private conversation.
He worked on projects involving collaboration between different public institutions to improve social and educational services.
He was also a lawyer and taught law at a university.
Cause of Death: Died after falling ill on board a flight from Cuba to Russia.
Marina Yankina – 16 February 2023
Yankina, 58, was the finance director of the Western Military District, and was a key figure in financing the war against Ukraine.
She previously worked at Russia’s Federal Tax service, and rose to the position as chief of finance within five years of joining the Western Military District.
She also served as Deputy Chairman of the Property Relations Committee of St Petersburg.
Cause of Death: Found dead after falling from a window on the 16th-floor of a high-rise building.
Vladimir Makarov – 13 February 2023
Makarov, 72, a senior Russian general who was also the deputy head of the Main Directorate for Combating Extremism.
He allegedly sought out and suppressed opposition activists and independent journalists, as well as anyone who opposed Putin’s government.
Makarov was fired by Putin a month before he died.
Cause of Death: Gun shot to the head, reported as a suicide.
Magomed Abdulaev – 5 January 2023
Abdulaev, 61, was a Russian lawyer and politician who served as the chairman of the Government of Dagestan.
He also he served as deputy prime minister and adviser to the Dagestan leader.
Cause of Death: Died at a hospital after being hit by a car while crossing the road.
Alexei Maslov – 25 December 2022
Maslov, 69, was a former commander of Russian ground forces in Ukraine.
He was also Moscow’s representative to Nato where he worked as a deputy to Dmitry Rogozin, a strong supporter of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Maslov worked as an international sales representative for Uralvagonzavod, the world’s largest tank manufacturer.
Cause of Death: Died “unexpectedly” in a military hospital, no further details were disclosed.
Pavel Antov – 24 December 2022
Antov, 65, was a Russian lawmaker and businessman who made his fortune in the sausage industry.
He was a member of the Legislative Assembly of the Vladimir district, and chaired the committee on agricultural policy, environmental management and ecology.
In a social media post, he referred to the war in Ukraine as “anything by terror.” He later denied making the post, confirming he was “a supporter of the President.”
Cause of Death: Fell out of window from Hotel Sai International in India. His Russian colleague, Vladimir Bidenov, died in the same hotel two days prior from an alleged heart attack.
Nikolay Petrunin – 12 October 2022
Petrunin, 46, was deputy chairman of the Russian parliament’s energy committee.
Petrunin was known as Russia’s “Gas Wonderkid” as his businesses had built gas pipelines for major Russian energy operators.
Although he was a Putin loyalist, he called for an end to the Ukraine war.
Cause of Death: Alleged to have died from complications of Covid-19 following a month-long coma.
Gennady Zhidko – 16 August 2023
Zhidko, 57, was a deputy minister of defence and led Russian troops invading Ukraine from May 2022 until he was sacked in October for alleged failures during military operations.
He headed the headquarters of the Russian Armed Forces group in Syria, and received the title of Hero of Russia from Putin in 2017.
Cause of Death: Reported to have died “after a long illness”.
Gennady Lopyrev – 16 August 2023
Lopyrev, 69, was a Russian FSB lieutenant-general who oversaw various construction projects, including Putin’s palace near Sochi.
Lopyrev had been one of Putin’s closest security aides until he was jailed in 2017 by a military court for bribery and illegal possession of ammunition.
He was serving a 10-year sentence but allegedly planned to apply for early release the year he died.
Cause of Death: Died in prison of an unspecified illness.
Vadim Boiko – 16 November 2022
Boiko, 44, was a colonel in the Russian military and deputy director of a naval school in Vladivostok.
He was tasked with accommodating and training new draftees as part of the mass mobilisation.
Boiko was allegedly threatened with a criminal case and financial repercussions for failing to meet his mobilisation recruitment quota.
Cause of Death: Multiple gunshot wounds to the chest, described as suicide.
Yevgeny Lobachev – 20 July 2022
Lobachev, 76, was a retired FSB major general.
He spent his entire career in the KGB, and after the collapse of the Soviet Union, he transferred to the FSB, where he served until his retirement in 1999.
He was then the head of two public associations and had an active political position.
Cause of Death: Reported as suicide, found in a stairwell alongside a Soviet-era TT-30 pistol.
Russia alleged he suffered from health problems and had experienced “financial difficulties”.
Lev Sotskov – 15 June 2022
Sotskov, 90, was former intelligence officer major general.
He was recruited by the then KGB in 1959 and worked as a spy for more than 40 years and was involved in operations identifying and attacking British politicians and spies.
Cause of Death: Reported as suicide with shots to the head. Like Lobachev, he was also found alongside a TT pistol.
