Two senior Russian security officials fell from the windows of high-storey buildings, in a major blow for Vladimir Putin.
One was pronounced dead, while the other miraculously survived the plunge and is recovering in hospital.
Artur Pryakhin, a former police colonel and head of the Federal Antimonopoly Service in Karelia, was found dead in Petrozavodsk.
His body was discovered near the agency’s building on the Varkaus embankment.
Investigators say the 56-year-old fell from a fifth-floor window on Tuesday in what they claim was an act of suicide.
He reportedly left a note in which he apologised to his wife and asked for no one to be blamed.
Pryakhin worked for almost 15 years at the Ministry of Internal Affairs and was involved in combating economic crimes.
His department was said to be investigating cartel agreements among several Russian companies bidding for government contracts.
In the second incident, Colonel Alexey Zubkov fell from a window in his office building in Moscow.
The Colonel is the deputy head of the forensics department at Russia‘s powerful and feared Investigative Committee.
He sustained moderate injuries in the fall and was rushed to the Pirogov medical centre.
According to the Telegram Channel « VChK-OGPU », Zubkov went to the bathroom on the fourth floor of his office building moments before his fall.
He reportedly told investigators he has no recollection of what happened next.
The incidents come after the Kremlin issued a stark warning to the world about any attempt to assassinate Putin.
Vyacheslav Volodin, the chairman of Russia‘s parliament said: « The plot to assassinate Putin, mere discussions of it is a crime, a serious threat to global security, a direct path to nuclear war.
« All international institutions should view it as a basis for an investigation. »
Source link
