Pavel Antov, Russian MP, tycoon, and critic of Russia’s war in Ukraine, was found dead after mysteriously falling from the window of his room on the third floor of a hotel in Rayagada, Odisha, India. Antov, 65, was on a holiday with his friend Vladimir Bidenov, 62, who died of a stroke in the same hotel just three days prior.
Vivekanand Sharma, the police superintendent who is investigating the two deaths, said that Antov was depressed after Bidenov’s death, and was found dead on Sunday, 25 December. Furthermore, with the permission of Antov’s family, officials cremated his body on Monday.
Russian magnate Pavel Antov dies after window fall in India
— Joe Wallen (@joerwallen) December 27, 2022
A 'depressed' Russian sausage magnate who briefly criticised Russia’s Ukraine invasion has died after falling from a hotel window in Indiahttps://t.co/IEIoRFzHfS
In 2019, Antov’s declared annual earnings were reported as £130 million in an analysis by Forbes Russia, making him one of Russia’s wealthiest lawmakers. Reportedly, in June this year, the multi-millionaire made a post on social media criticizing the invasion of Ukraine. “A girl has been pulled out from under the rubble, the girl’s father appears to have died. The mother is being pulled out with a crane; she is trapped under a slab. To tell the truth, it is extremely difficult to call this anything other than terror,” he wrote.
However, soon after, the oligarch faced a strong backlash for these comments in Russia and later deleted the social media post, saying it was an “unfortunate misunderstanding” and technical error.
Vyacheslav Kartukhin, Vice Speaker of the Regional Parliament, confirmed the news and said, “Our colleague, a successful entrepreneur, and philanthropist Pavel Antov passed away. On behalf of the deputies of the United Russia faction, I express my deep condolences to relatives and friends,” as reported by Russian news agency, TASS.
Russia's 'highest-earning elected politician', sausage tycoon and MP Pavel Antov, who had criticised Putin's war in Ukraine, has been found dead after a mysterious fall out of a 3rd floor hotel window in Rayagada, India. https://t.co/vuWGOJCjHI
— Mikhail Khodorkovsky (English) (@mbk_center) December 26, 2022
Although this mysterious series of deaths have triggered suspicions of a hit job, the Russian embassy said today that a police investigation is ongoing and no criminal links have been found thus far. Meanwhile, two other members of Antov’s group, who were travelling with him at the time, have been asked to stay back and coordinate with the investigation.