Unexpected deaths of six Russian diplomats in four months triggers conspiracy theories, The Independent

Unexpected deaths of six Russian diplomats in four months triggers conspiracy theories

Several deaths have been described as ‘heart attacks’ or the result of a ‘brief illness’ by officials, in some cases despite evidence to the contrary

  • Charlotte England
  • @charlottengland
  • Monday twenty seven February two thousand seventeen Eighteen:05 GMT

The Independent Online

Russian Ambassador to the UN Vitaly Churkin died unexpectedly in Fresh York AFP/Getty Pics

When Russia’s ambassador to the United Nations died abruptly in Fresh York last week, he became the sixth Russian diplomat to die unexpectedly since November, leaving internet conspiracy theorists attempting to spot a pattern.

Vitaly Churkin, 64, was rushed to hospital from his office at Russia’s UN mission on twenty February, after becoming ill without warning on his way in to work.

It was originally reported that Mr Churkin may have suffered a heart attack, but following an autopsy medical examiners said the death required further explore.

Media company Axios note that not only is Mr Churkin’s death unexplained, but it is also remarkably similar to the deaths of Russia’s Ambassador to India on twenty seven January, the country’s consul in Athens on nine January, and a Russian diplomat in Fresh York on US election day, eight November.

Read more

The three other deaths were all also labelled “heart attacks” or the result of “brief illnesses”.

Two more diplomats died more clearly violent deaths in the same period: Russia’s Ambassador to Turkey, Andrei Karlov, was assassinated by in Ankara at a photography exhibition on nineteen December, and on the same day another diplomat, Petr Polshikov, was shot dead in his Moscow apartment.

Additionally, an ex-KGB chief, Oleg Erovinkin, who was suspected of helping a British spy draft a dossier on Donald Trump, was found dead in the back of his car on boxing day, twenty six December. Mr Erovinkin also was an aide to former deputy prime minister Igor Sechin, who now goes up state-owned oil company Rosneft.

Russian ambassador to Turkey shot dead in Ankara

Russian ambassador to Turkey shot dead in Ankara

The unnamed gunman gestures after shooting the Russian Ambassador to Turkey

The gunman opened fire at a photo gallery in Ankara, Turkey

Russian Ambassador to Turkey Andrei Karlov was delivering a speech when the gunman opened fire

The gunman addressed the room after shooting the Russian Ambassador

The gunman spoke in Arabic after opening fire on the Russian ambassador to Turkey

The gunman stands over the bod of Russian Ambassador to Turkey, Andrei Karlov, at a photo gallery in Ankara, Turkey

People in the art gallery react moments after the Russian ambassador to Turkey, Andrei Karlov, was shot dead

Turkish police secure the area near the art gallery where Andrei Karlov was shot

The gunman reportedly shouted “Aleppo” and “vengeance” after shooting Mr Karlov dead

The gunman stands over the assets of the Russian Ambassador to Turkey, Andrei Karlov

The gunman, a Turkish policeman, can be seen standing behind the Russian ambassador to Turkey, Andrei Karlov, before he opened fire

An ambulance leaves the area near the art gallery where the Russian Ambassador to Turkey Andrei Karlov was shot dead

Guests leave as the gunman holds his weapon behind them

Here’s a timeline of the deaths since November.

On the morning of US Election Day, Russian diplomat Sergei Krivov, 63, was found lounging unconscious on the floor of the Russian Consulate in Fresh York with a head injury. Initial reports said Mr Krivov fell from the roof and had blunt force injuries, but Russian officials quickly switched their story and said he died from a heart attack.

BuzzFeed reports police said Mr Krivov’s death looked natural and quickly closed the case, but three months later medical examiners are still unassured how he died.

Additionally, the news site reports it being utterly difficult to ascertain exactly what Mr Krivov did at the consulate. According to Russian language media he may have been a consular duty commander, which means he would have been in charge of “prevention of sabotage” and suppression of “attempts of secret intrusion” into the consulate. In other words, making sure US intelligence agencies did not have ears in the building.

Russia’s Ambassador to Turkey, Andrei Karlov, 62, was assassinated at a photography exhibition in Ankara.

The diplomat was shot in the back as he made a speech by a Turkish police officer who reportedly shouted: “Don’t leave behind Aleppo! Don’t leave behind Syria!”

On the same day, another diplomat, Petr Polshikov, 56, was found dead from gunshot wounds in his Moscow apartment.

He had been shot in the head and a gun was found under the bathroom drown, but little else is known about the circumstances of his death, which are still believed to be under investigation.

Mr Polshikov served as a senior figure in the Latin American department of the Foreign Ministry.

Ex-KGB chief Oleg Erovinkin, 61, who is believed to have helped the former MI6 spy Christopher Steele compile his dossier on Mr Trump, was found dead in the back of his black Lexus car in Moscow on Boxing Day.

Mr Erovinkin was a key aide to Igor Sechin, a former deputy prime minister and now head of Rosneft, the state-owned oil company, who is repeatedly named in the dossier, the Telegraph reported.

Media reports soon after his figure was found suggested Mr Erovinkin had almost certainly been murder, but it was later claimed he had died of a heart attack.

The Russian Consul in Athens, Greece, Andrei Malanin, 55, was found dead on the bathroom floor in his apartment by another member of embassy staff after he failed to arrive at work or response his phone.

A Greek police official said there was “no evidence of a break-in” and the death appeared to be from natural causes. Mr Malanin lived alone on a powerfully guarded street.

Further investigations are ongoing.

Russia’s Ambassador to India, Alexander Kadakin, 67, died after a “brief illness” according to Indian media, which quoted sources telling he had been unwell for a few weeks.

Reuters reports Mr Kadakin died from heart failure, but few further details are known.

Russia’s Ambassador to the UN Vitaly Churkin died all of a sudden in Fresh York of suspected heart failure. A medical examiner suggested the need to carry out toxicology tests.

Unexpected deaths of six Russian diplomats in four months triggers conspiracy theories, The Independent

Unexpected deaths of six Russian diplomats in four months triggers conspiracy theories

Several deaths have been described as ‘heart attacks’ or the result of a ‘brief illness’ by officials, in some cases despite evidence to the contrary

  • Charlotte England
  • @charlottengland
  • Monday twenty seven February two thousand seventeen Legal:05 GMT

The Independent Online

Russian Ambassador to the UN Vitaly Churkin died unexpectedly in Fresh York AFP/Getty Photos

When Russia’s ambassador to the United Nations died abruptly in Fresh York last week, he became the sixth Russian diplomat to die unexpectedly since November, leaving internet conspiracy theorists attempting to spot a pattern.

Vitaly Churkin, 64, was rushed to hospital from his office at Russia’s UN mission on twenty February, after becoming ill without warning on his way in to work.

It was originally reported that Mr Churkin may have suffered a heart attack, but following an autopsy medical examiners said the death required further explore.

Media company Axios note that not only is Mr Churkin’s death unexplained, but it is also remarkably similar to the deaths of Russia’s Ambassador to India on twenty seven January, the country’s consul in Athens on nine January, and a Russian diplomat in Fresh York on US election day, eight November.

Read more

The three other deaths were all also labelled “heart attacks” or the result of “brief illnesses”.

Two more diplomats died more clearly violent deaths in the same period: Russia’s Ambassador to Turkey, Andrei Karlov, was assassinated by in Ankara at a photography exhibition on nineteen December, and on the same day another diplomat, Petr Polshikov, was shot dead in his Moscow apartment.

Additionally, an ex-KGB chief, Oleg Erovinkin, who was suspected of helping a British spy draft a dossier on Donald Trump, was found dead in the back of his car on boxing day, twenty six December. Mr Erovinkin also was an aide to former deputy prime minister Igor Sechin, who now goes up state-owned oil company Rosneft.

Russian ambassador to Turkey shot dead in Ankara

Russian ambassador to Turkey shot dead in Ankara

The unnamed gunman gestures after shooting the Russian Ambassador to Turkey

The gunman opened fire at a photo gallery in Ankara, Turkey

Russian Ambassador to Turkey Andrei Karlov was delivering a speech when the gunman opened fire

The gunman addressed the room after shooting the Russian Ambassador

The gunman spoke in Arabic after opening fire on the Russian ambassador to Turkey

The gunman stands over the figure of Russian Ambassador to Turkey, Andrei Karlov, at a photo gallery in Ankara, Turkey

People in the art gallery react moments after the Russian ambassador to Turkey, Andrei Karlov, was shot dead

Turkish police secure the area near the art gallery where Andrei Karlov was shot

The gunman reportedly shouted “Aleppo” and “vengeance” after shooting Mr Karlov dead

The gunman stands over the bod of the Russian Ambassador to Turkey, Andrei Karlov

The gunman, a Turkish policeman, can be seen standing behind the Russian ambassador to Turkey, Andrei Karlov, before he opened fire

An ambulance leaves the area near the art gallery where the Russian Ambassador to Turkey Andrei Karlov was shot dead

Guests leave as the gunman holds his weapon behind them

Here’s a timeline of the deaths since November.

On the morning of US Election Day, Russian diplomat Sergei Krivov, 63, was found lounging unconscious on the floor of the Russian Consulate in Fresh York with a head injury. Initial reports said Mr Krivov fell from the roof and had blunt force injuries, but Russian officials quickly switched their story and said he died from a heart attack.

BuzzFeed reports police said Mr Krivov’s death looked natural and quickly closed the case, but three months later medical examiners are still hesitant how he died.

Additionally, the news site reports it being utterly difficult to ascertain exactly what Mr Krivov did at the consulate. According to Russian language media he may have been a consular duty commander, which means he would have been in charge of “prevention of sabotage” and suppression of “attempts of secret intrusion” into the consulate. In other words, making sure US intelligence agencies did not have ears in the building.

Russia’s Ambassador to Turkey, Andrei Karlov, 62, was assassinated at a photography exhibition in Ankara.

The diplomat was shot in the back as he made a speech by a Turkish police officer who reportedly shouted: “Don’t leave behind Aleppo! Don’t leave behind Syria!”

On the same day, another diplomat, Petr Polshikov, 56, was found dead from gunshot wounds in his Moscow apartment.

He had been shot in the head and a gun was found under the bathroom bury, but little else is known about the circumstances of his death, which are still believed to be under investigation.

Mr Polshikov served as a senior figure in the Latin American department of the Foreign Ministry.

Ex-KGB chief Oleg Erovinkin, 61, who is believed to have helped the former MI6 spy Christopher Steele compile his dossier on Mr Trump, was found dead in the back of his black Lexus car in Moscow on Boxing Day.

Mr Erovinkin was a key aide to Igor Sechin, a former deputy prime minister and now head of Rosneft, the state-owned oil company, who is repeatedly named in the dossier, the Telegraph reported.

Media reports soon after his bod was found suggested Mr Erovinkin had almost certainly been murder, but it was later claimed he had died of a heart attack.

The Russian Consul in Athens, Greece, Andrei Malanin, 55, was found dead on the bathroom floor in his apartment by another member of embassy staff after he failed to arrive at work or reaction his phone.

A Greek police official said there was “no evidence of a break-in” and the death appeared to be from natural causes. Mr Malanin lived alone on a powerfully guarded street.

Further investigations are ongoing.

Russia’s Ambassador to India, Alexander Kadakin, 67, died after a “brief illness” according to Indian media, which quoted sources telling he had been unwell for a few weeks.

Reuters reports Mr Kadakin died from heart failure, but few further details are known.

Russia’s Ambassador to the UN Vitaly Churkin died all of a sudden in Fresh York of suspected heart failure. A medical examiner suggested the need to carry out toxicology tests.

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