Prigozhin death news: This is what happened to other Putin foes in the past

A plane, the passenger list of which included Wagner Group chief Yevgeny Prigozhin, crashed in Russia's Tver region near Moscow. At the time of publishing of this story, the Kremlin had not confirmed Prigozhin's death. The Wagner boss, once part of the inner circle of Russian President Vladimir Putin, angered him because of his mutiny just two months ago. For a brief period in those 24 hours, it seemed as if Russia was on the brink of a civil war when it had its hands tied in the Ukraine war.

Though Prigozhin called off his mercenaries, he was widely seen to be a 'dead man walking' as various experts and media outlets predicted that he would be assassinated in the near future.

The fears are not unfounded.

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The lives of many of Putin's critics and opponents have ended in mysterious ways. It did not matter whether they were inside Russia or outside. The mystery surrounding these deaths (or at least apparent attempts to kill) has reinforced the perception that those who tenaciously oppose Putin are often forced to forego ideas of living long lives happily spent with family.

Let's take a look at such mysterious deaths and attempts to kill.

Alexander Litvinenko

Alexander Litvinenko, a former KGB agent, was an outspoken critic of Putin. He died at the age of 43 in 2006 in London after drinking tea laced with Polonium-210. Polonium is a rare and potent radioactive element, a small amount of which can be deadly. A British inquiry in 2016 said that Putin probably approved the killing.

The Kremlin denied any involvement in Litvinenko's killing.

Alexei Navalny

The most prominent face of political opposition in Russia was poisoned with Novichok, a Soviet-era nerve agent. He was poisoned in Siberia. He was flown to Germany in August 2020. Navalny survived but this was widely perceived to be an attempt to assassinate him.

Russia denied any involvement.

Alexander Perepilichny

Alexander Perepilichny (44), a Russian whistleblower, was found dead outside his home in 2012. He was out jogging. He had helped a Swiss investigation into money laundering in Russia. He left Russia and went to Britain in 2009.

British police ruled out foul play but there were suspicions that his death was an assassination.

Russia denied any involvement.

Sergei Skripal

Sergei Skripal, a former Russian double agent who worked for British intelligence, was found unconscious alongwith his daughter in 2018 on a bench in Salisbury, UK.

British authorities said that they were poisoned with Novichok. Both of them survived.

Russia denied any role in the poisoning.

Anna Politkovskaya

She was a journalist who criticised Putin and made news reports on human rights abuses.

She was shot dead outside her Moscow flat in 2006. The killing took place on Putin's birthday.

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