A growing string of apparent suicides and accidents among Russian businessmen and high-ranking officials has raised concerns and birthday the term “Sudden Russian Death Syndrome.” The latest case involves the death of former Russian police general Vladimir Makarov, who was found dead in his home outside Moscow with a self-inflicted gunshot wound according to Russian state media. Makarov had worked directly under Russian President Vladimir Putin and was sacked from his job just weeks before his death.
The news of Makarov’s death followed the death of former Roscosmos manager Dmitry Pawochka, who reportedly died in a fire after falling asleep with a cigarette in his hand. A month earlier, Russian sausage tycoon Pavel Antov died in India after falling from a window. Antov had previously been accused of criticizing Russia’s war in Ukraine in a leaked WhatsApp message. Two days before his death, his close associate died of reported heart problems at the same hotel and on the same trip as reported by BBC.
Other Russian officials and businessmen have died in accidents ranging from helicopter crashes to falling down the stairs, getting hit by a car, falling from a cliff, and reportedly taking their own lives.
The growing list of mysterious deaths has raised concerns among some, with an entire Wikipedia page dedicated to the topic.
It remains unclear whether any connection between the deaths exists.