Russian authorities have launched an inquiry into the recent death of a notable figure who fell from a window under unclear circumstances.
Vyacheslav Leontyev, aged 87 and former head of the Pravda publishing house, reportedly plunged approximately 70 feet from his residence located in western Moscow.
Leontyev was the longtime publisher of Pravda, the renowned Soviet-era newspaper that served as the official voice of the Communist Party.
The incident occurred on Saturday evening, and investigators are currently examining whether the fall was accidental, self-inflicted, or the result of foul play.
Exiled journalist Andrey Malgin commented on the suspicious nature of the death, stating, “The series of window-related fatalities continues…”
Malgin added, “Leontyev fell from a window and was discovered near his home on Molodogvardeyskaya Street, where he resided.”
Suggesting that Leontyev may have possessed considerable undisclosed wealth, Malgin remarked, “He appeared to be something of a clandestine millionaire…”
“He was well-informed about the Communist Party’s finances – Pravda was among the most lucrative assets within the CPSU Central Committee’s business network,” he explained.
Although unverified, some reports indicate that Leontyev had been experiencing health issues prior to his death.
Russia has witnessed a troubling pattern of sudden deaths among top executives of major corporations, particularly during and just before the conflict in Ukraine.
For instance, last month, Alexander Fedotov, the former head of St Petersburg’s transport department, was found deceased outside the five-star Skypoint Luxe hotel near Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport.
Reports suggest he was staying on a business trip in a high-floor room at the hotel.
Authorities have opened a criminal investigation, noting that no suicide note was discovered at the scene.
Fedotov was connected to Roman Starovoit, Vladimir Putin’s former transport minister, who died in July under suspicious circumstances shortly after being dismissed by Putin. Officially ruled a suicide, there are allegations that Starovoit was tortured and murdered.
Among numerous other questionable deaths is that of Ravil Maganov, a Lukoil magnate who fell from a window at Moscow’s Central Clinical Hospital, also known as the Kremlin clinic, in September 2022.
His successor, Vladimir Nekrasov, passed away in October 2023 at age 66, reportedly from acute heart failure.
Both Maganov and Nekrasov were known to have opposed Putin’s military actions.
In the following month, Vladimir Lebedev, a Russian senator supportive of the war and closely linked to Lukoil, died suddenly at age 60 in what was described as a “terrible tragedy.”
More recently, in March 2024, Vitaly Robertus, vice-president of Lukoil, was discovered hanged in the restroom of his office.
Separately, Pavel Antov, a 65-year-old Russian sausage industry tycoon and politician, died after falling from a hotel window in India in December 2022.
Additionally, Marina Yankina, a 58-year-old defense official responsible for overseeing war finances, died in February 2023 after a 160-foot fall in St Petersburg.
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