Ines Zeghloul
Russian politician Pavel Antov has been found dead in India. He reportedly fell from the third floor of his hotel. A few days earlier, in the same establishment, his travel companion, Vladimir Bidenov, succumbed to a heart attack. Two new disturbing deaths of oligarchs who had criticized the invasion in Ukraine.
Moscow displays its confidence, ten months after the start of the war in Ukraine. On Wednesday, the head of Russian diplomacy, Sergey Lavrov, said he was convinced that his army would achieve its objectives in Ukraine by dint of patience. However, there are still Russian voices speaking out against this war.
But one of them is forever silent. Pavel Antov, Russian oligarch who had criticized this intervention in Ukraine, was found dead in India in very suspicious circumstances.
Settling scores ?
Pavel Antov, considered the highest paid politician in his country, is said to have died of a fatal fall from the third floor of his hotel when he came to India to celebrate his 66ᵉ birthday. But already last Thursday, and in the same establishment, his travel companion, businessman Vladimir Bidenov, succumbed to a heart attack. Two sudden deaths. So, is it a simple accident, or can we talk about settling accounts?
Antov was a deputy, from the United Russia party to which Vladimir Putin belongs. He had made his fortune making sausages, with an estimated wealth of $140 million. Influential, the tycoon was also very critical of the war in Ukraine, “terrorism” according to him, before retracting and then apologizing flatly and publicly, claiming to support the Russian military operation.
These two deaths are therefore very disturbing. These are the 13ᵉ and 14ᵉ mysterious disappearances since the start of the invasion in Ukraine. A long list to which was added recently in Antibes the fatal fall from a balustrade of Dmitry Zelenov, also very critical of power.