Putin Is Assassinating His Failing Officials; 39 Prominent Russians Dead Since Ukraine War: Report

Russian President Vladimir Putin could be assassinating his failing officials as nearly 40 prominent Russian figures have already died since Moscow launched its invasion of Ukraine in February last year.

At least 39 Russian officials and figures have died since the war in Ukraine began, with two people having died only this month.

On March 6, financial fraudster and oligarch Sergey Grishin, who sold Harry and Meghan their nine-bedroom mansion in California, died in Moscow of sepsis at the age of 56. Prior to his death, Grishin criticized Putin's invasion of Ukraine.

On March 1, virologist Andrey Botikov, who helped develop Russia's COVID-19 vaccine Sputnik V, died after being strangled with a belt during an argument with a 29-year-old man. The suspect was arrested shortly after his body was discovered, according to a Telegram post by the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation.

Other mysterious deaths since February 2022 include Roman Malyk, a Russian official in charge of mobilization who was found hanging "on a fence" on Oct. 14; Dmitry Zelenov, a Russian real estate tycoon who fell down a flight of stairs in France; Col. Vadim Boyko, the chief of mobilization whose death was described as a suicide despite having been shot five times; and Marina Yankina, a Russian defense official who plummeted 16 stories to her death from her apartment window.

No evidence has yet been found that ties Putin to the mysterious deaths and the Russian leader likely wants it to stay that way, expert Jon O'Neill told the New York Post.

"Putin does not want to murder people directly. If he does, he gets exposed all over the world. He wants people appearing to kill themselves or seeming to die from unusual diseases. Putin wants to kill people on a deniable basis," O'Neill said. "At the same time, everyone in Russia knows that these people are being murdered. It sends a message to those associated with Putin: You better stay in line."

O'Neill also said the deaths are likely tied to the failures Russia is currently facing in the war in Ukraine.