Vladimir Nekrasov, the chief of Russian oil company Lukoil, was found dead at the age of 66, sparking questions and concerns.
The official cause of death has been cited as acute heart failure, marking yet another unexpected demise of a Russian executive in recent times.
Nekrasov passed away on October 24, and his death was described as "sudden" in an official statement according to Nexta.
With a career spanning 50 years in the oil industry, he started as a mechanic and rose through the ranks. He was a confidant of Russian President Vladimir Putin and had been honored with the Order of Merit for the Fatherland 4th degree and the Order of Honor.
The Ukrainian media have raised questions about the timing and circumstances of Nekrasov's death. They point to a pattern of mysterious deaths among Russian businessmen over the past 18 months.
For instance, Rawil Maganov, Nekrasov's predecessor, fell out of a window in August 2022. Another corporate executive, Aleksander Subotin, died in May 2022 under strange circumstances, reportedly after an "unsuccessful session with shamans."
In total, more than 40 Russian managers have died under mysterious conditions, raising eyebrows and fueling speculations.
Lukoil is Russia's second-largest oil company, trailing only Gazprom Neft, a subsidiary of Gazprom. The company once had operations in Poland, which were sold to Austrian firm AMIC Energy.
Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Lukoil pulled out of Europe entirely and now primarily operates in Russia and Asian countries.
Notably, Lukoil's management had advocated for negotiations with Ukraine to end the ongoing conflict.
