Former Yukos Executive Mikhail Rogachev Found Dead

Mikhail Rogachev, a former vice-president of the disbanded Russian oil giant Yukos, was found dead after apparently falling from his 10th-story Moscow apartment. Authorities are treating his death as a suicide, reportedly linked to a suicide note mentioning cancer, but his family disputes this, claiming he was in good spirits prior to his death. Rogachev's passing adds to a growing list of mysterious deaths among Russian business executives and government officials, particularly in the energy sector, since the invasion of Ukraine in 2022. His death follows several unexplained fatalities of prominent figures, including other executives from Gazprom and Lukoil, raising suspicions about foul play. The circumstances surrounding Rogachev's death and the context of other recent incidents have drawn significant media attention and speculation regarding the climate of fear and retribution in Russia. As investigations continue, the case exemplifies the troubling trend of unexplained deaths among those associated with the Russian elite.