Two high-ranking Russian officials fall from windows in one day
On February 4, Russia witnessed two high-ranking officials falling from windows.
Artur Pryakhin, the Head of the Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS) in Karelia, reportedly took his own life, while Alexey Zubkov, an employee at the Investigative Committee's forensics center in Moscow, survived but claimed he remembers nothing, reports the Russian online media outlet The Moscow Times.
The first incident occurred in Petrozavodsk, within Russia’s Republic of Karelia, where Artur Pryakhin was found deceased outside the FAS office building located on Varkaus embankment. The Investigative Committee revealed that the 56-year-old fell from a fifth-floor window, though it was unclear if it was his office. A law enforcement source suggests that Pryakhin committed suicide, allegedly leaving a note apologizing to his wife and asking not to blame anyone.
Pryakhin dedicated approximately 15 years to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, specializing in economic crime units, eventually being appointed head of the Karelia FAS in 2014. Under his leadership, the agency was involved in several high-profile cartel investigations. One notable case was related to auction irregularities for organizing children's recreational activities involving the "Syamozero" park hotel, where 14 schoolchildren perished in 2016 after boats they were in capsized, and survivors failed to reach emergency services.
The second incident took place the same day in Moscow. Russian Investigative Committee Colonel and Deputy Head of the Forensics Department, Alexey Zubkov, reportedly fell from a window at the forensic center’s building on Stroiteley Street.
Zubkov sustained moderate injuries and was taken to the N.V. Sklifosovsky Institute. After the fall, he remained conscious, stating he had entered the fourth-floor restroom where nothing was amiss, but subsequently has no recollection of events.
On February 5, the Investigative Committee was set to hold a final board meeting. Colleagues hinted at Zubkov possibly experiencing stress, particularly given the presence of senior management at the scene.
There were earlier reports about the mysterious deaths of former and current top executives of major oil and gas companies in Russia. Falling from windows has become a conspicuous cause of death. In 2022, Ravil Maganov, 68, Chairman of Lukoil's Board, unexpectedly fell from a sixth-floor window at Moscow's Central Clinical Hospital.