Why are Russian businessmen dying under suspicious circumstances in 2022?
With the recent death of Russian businessman Pavel Antov in India, the issue of the death of Russian businessmen has once again cropped up this year. This is the 19th death of a Russian businessman in the last 11 months after the Russia-Ukraine War that began in February. The surprising thing is that in each of these deaths, the death happened suddenly and in unusual circumstances and many of those businessmen even criticized the Russia-Ukraine war.
Highlights
- Russian businessman Pavel Antonov has died an unusual death in a hotel in Odisha.
- In the same month, the fourth death of a Russian businessman has taken place under suspicious circumstances.
- Many experts are seeing these deaths linked to the Russia-Ukraine war.
Questions are being raised in India over the death of Russian businessman Pavel Antov in a hotel in Odisha. This is a new death in the series of deaths of Russian businessmen under suspicious circumstances since last 11 months, the only difference is that this death has happened in India. Since the Russia Ukraine War, many questions are being raised on the death of Russian businessmen one after the other under suspicious circumstances. Is there any kind of conspiracy behind these deaths and does these deaths have any relation with Russia Ukraine war and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
21st death in six months
The Russo-Ukraine war began in February this year. After that, for the first time on February 25, a Russian businessman died, which could not be called a normal death. But in the investigation it was not even found to be murder. Since then the number of deaths has gone up to 19. It is said that many of these businessmen also criticized Russian ‘military action’ on Ukraine.
Death of Antonov and his companion
Media reports say that 65-year-old Antonov fell from the window of his hotel before one of the four people who came with him in the same hotel, Vladimir Budanov, died in the hotel, which is said to be the cause of stroke. After the death of Budanov, Antonov was very disappointed. But the police are yet to find any criminal angle in these incidents.
The circumstances of these deaths were not normal
The death of Russian businessmen seemed to be either suicide or some kind of accident, but it is clear that all these deaths were unusual and suspicious questions were raised on the circumstances of their death. According to reports, all the killed businessmen were either related to the oil and gas company or were active in Russia’s internal politics.
Apart from being a Russian businessman, Pavel Antov was also a public servant and politician. (Image: Twitter/TulioWars)
Clouds of doubt
Various speculations are being made on what is the condition of the businessmen in Russia and whether they have any connection with the Russia-Ukraine war or not. There are also doubts in the Western media that this is happening under the campaign of Russian President Vladimir Putin to remove his opponents, although there is no evidence to confirm this. American-British businessman Bill Brouden, who was a major foreign investor in Russia till 2005, says in SBSNews report that these deaths cannot be ruled out as murders.
Reason for doubt?
Bill Brouden says that this can only be called a fight for money. At the same time, other experts also say that such incidents are not new to Russia. But many of these deaths, whether in Russia or outside Russia, have been ruled either suicides, as appears to be the case with Antonov, or accidents, as appears to be the case with Budanov. . Not only this, in almost every case there was no clear explanation of the circumstances of the death.
The Russia Ukraine War is not related to these killings because such deaths have been happening in Russia before. (Representational photo: shutterstock/Pixabay)
Russia ties to Ukraine war?
But experts clearly say that such incidents have been happening in Russia even before the Russo-Ukraine war. Stephen Fortescue, Honorary Professor of Russian Politics at the University of NSW, also says that there is nothing very new or unique in this, i.e. even for the first time. Similarly, Russian businessmen or leaders have been found dead under suspicious circumstances whose detailed information is not available.
Professor Fortescue says that this has been happening in Russia since the disintegration of the Soviet Union and the main reason for this has been property related disputes. Most of the recent deaths have been related to the oil industry and there has also been a huge money dispute. But it appears that money will play a big role in many of the deaths, especially those outside Russia. Somebody is behind the money these businessmen control. But it is also true that there was no threat to Russia from these businessmen.
