One of Russia’s wealthiest lawmakers has died while on vacation in the Rayagada region of Odisha in India. His death comes just days after one of his companions reportedly died from a heart attack.
Pavel Antov was in India with three companions to celebrate his 66th birthday. The so-called sausage tycoon was the multi-millionaire founder of the meat company Vladimir Standard. Until his death, he was also a deputy in the legislative assembly of the Vladimir region. He was a member of United Russia, the main pro-Vladimir Putin party.
According to reports, Antov “mysteriously” fell from the third-floor terrace of the Hotel Sai International in Rayagada and was found on December 25. His friend, identified as Vladimir Bidenov, was found dead in the same hotel on December 22.
Local police say that circumstantial evidence suggests that there was “no foul play” in the two deaths, but an investigation is underway to determine whether Antov fell from his room’s terrace accidentally or if he died by suicide.
“Our colleague, a successful entrepreneur, and philanthropist Pavel Antov passed away. On behalf of the deputies of the United Russia faction, I express my deep condolences to relatives and friends,” said Vyacheslav Kartukhin, Vice Speaker of the Regional Parliament, confirming the news on Telegram.
In June, Antov made headlines when he criticized Russia’s war in Ukraine, particularly its air strikes on Kyiv, calling it “terror” that has wounded Ukrainian civilians.
“A girl has been pulled out from under the rubble, the girl’s father appears to have died. The mother is trying to be pulled out with a crane — she is trapped under a slab. To tell the truth, it is extremely difficult to call this anything other than terror,” he posted on social media.
Shortly after, Antov apologized and withdrew the comment, claiming that the post was “an unfortunate misunderstanding” and a “technical error,” and insisted that he had “always supported the President” and “sincerely” supported the military operation.
Antov joins a growing list of sudden and mysterious deaths involving Russian businessmen this year, notably involving a number of ‘falls.’
In September, Ivan Pechorin was found drowned about 100 miles off of the far eastern city of Vladivostok after allegedly falling off a boat. He was the Aviation Director for Russia’s Far East and Arctic Development Corporation (KRDV), Putin’s project for developing the rich energy and mining resources of the country’s Arctic region.
A week before Pechorin’s death, Lukoil’s Ravik Maganov reportedly fell from a hospital window. Maganov, like Antov, was reportedly critical of the war in Ukraine.
Information for this briefing was found via the Daily Mail, Indian Express, and the sources and companies mentioned. The author has no securities or affiliations related to this organization. Not a recommendation to buy or sell. Always do additional research and consult a professional before purchasing a security. The author holds no licenses.
