A growing number of Russian officials, business executives and public figures have died under strange or violent circumstances since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Many were said to have fallen from windows and balconies. While some deaths were officially ruled accidents or suicides, the frequency and context of these fatal falls have fueled speculation that some victims may have been defenestrated for their political views, corruption ties or possessing inconvenient knowledge. The Moscow Times has gathered a running list of notable cases over the past three years. 2025 Feb. 4 — Artur Priakhin, head of the Federal Antimonopoly Service in the republic of Karelia Found dead outside his office in an apparent suicide. A note reportedly left in his office apologized to his wife, gave instructions about their finances and asked that no one be blamed for his death. Feb. 5 — Vadim Stroykin, singer and songwriter Reportedly fell from a 10th-story window during a police search of his apartment as they investigated him for allegedly participating in a “terrorist organization” linked to donation gathering for the Ukrainian military. He openly criticized the war in posts on social media. March 2 — Buvaisar Saitiev, former State Duma lawmaker from Dagestan and freestyle wrestler Died in the hospital after he was found to have fallen from the window of his apartment on the west side of Moscow. Pro-Kremlin media claimed he suffered from a lung condition and was taking medication containing powerful substances to relieve the pain. July 4 — Andrei Badalov, vice president of Transneft Allegedly fell from a window at his home in the elite Moscow suburb of Rublyovka, with police sources saying he likely committed suicide. Reports claimed he sent a farewell message to his wife before his death, and his body was discovered by a security guard.

Andrei Badalov. Roscongress

2024 June 5 — Natalia Larina, judge at Moscow’s Targansky District Court Believed to have jumped from a window after she was defrauded by phone scammers posing as court officials, convincing her to transfer 2 million rubles ($25,600) before she realized the deception. A suicide note was reportedly found at the scene of her death. Oct. 20 — Mikhail Rogachev, former vice president of Yukos Found dead in the courtyard of his apartment building in Moscow after an apparent fall from a window with a reported suicide note blaming doctors and saying goodbye to his wife, though relatives said he showed no signs of suicidal intent earlier that day. He had been suffering from serious health issues, including cancer. Nov. 16 — Vladimir Skhlyarov, ballet dancer at St. Petersburg’s Mariinsky Ballet Fell from the fifth-floor balcony of his St. Petersburg apartment in what authorities called an accident, saying he lost balance while smoking on a narrow ledge. Skhlyarov, who criticized the invasion of Ukraine, had a spinal injury, was taking strong painkillers ahead of surgery and had reportedly been struggling with addiction and personal issues. Dec. 11 — Alexander Lapin, former head of Krasnoyarsk’s landscaping and green construction authority Fell from the seventh-floor window of an Investigative Committee office during an interrogation related to a criminal corruption case. Security footage reportedly shows him sitting on the windowsill before falling. 2023 Feb. 15 — Marina Yankina, head of finance and procurement of the Defense Ministry’s Western Military District Plunged from the 16th-floor window of her St. Petersburg apartment. One week before her death, pro-war bloggers criticized new military uniform prices, which the Defense Ministry classified, but were revealed by the company that was awarded the tailoring service contract. June 4 — Yuri Demin, head of the State Inspectorate for Road Safety in the Sverdlovsk region Allegedly fell from a scaffolding at his dacha 40 kilometers (25 miles) south of Yekaterinburg during repair works. June 8 — Artem Bartenev, a federal judge who served in the Kirovsky District Court in Kazan Reportedly fell from the 12th story window of his apartment after initially leaving for work at 4:15 a.m., but then returning home. His wife discovered his body after calling his phone while walking their dogs at 6 a.m. and hearing it ring nearby in a courtyard. June 24 — Kristina Baikova, vice president of Loko-Bank Fell from the 11th-floor window of a rental apartment after a party. Media outlets claimed they had obtained video of her arguing with her boyfriend in an elevator and another video filmed by the boyfriend, showing her balancing on the balcony before falling to her death. Dec. 27 — Vladimir Egorov, councilman in the Tobolsk City Duma Fell from the third-story window of his home as a result of an accident, according to colleagues from the ruling United Russia party. Media outlets claimed he stepped out to get some fresh air after feeling sick and plunged to his death after losing consciousness.

Ravil Maganov. Anton Novoderezhkin / TASS