Russian oil executive dies after falling from hospital window, sources say
Ravil Maganov, the chairman of Russia’s second-largest oil producer, Lukoil, died on Thursday after falling from a hospital window in Moscow, two sources familiar with the matter said, becoming the latest in a series of deaths. businessman encounters sudden death of unknown cause.
Sources confirm reports by several Russian media that the 67-year-old fell to his death, but the circumstances surrounding his fall are unclear.
Two people who knew Maganov well told Reuters they believed he most likely committed suicide.
Another source close to the company said there is a belief within Lukoil management that he committed suicide, but he has not seen evidence or documents to prove it.
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Asked by Reuters whether they were investigating the death as suspicious, Moscow police referred the question to the state Investigative Committee. The committee did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Lukoil said in a statement that Maganov had “passed away from a serious illness.”
“Thousands of Lukoil employees mourn this tragic loss and express their sincere condolences to the family of Ravil Maganov.”
Other unexplained deaths
Several other senior executives with ties to Russia’s energy industry have died suddenly under unknown circumstances over the past few months.
A day after Russia sent its forces into Ukraine in February, a Gazprom executive, Alexander Tyulakov, was found dead in his garage near St.Petersburg, Russian media reported.
In April, Sergei Protosenya, a former senior director of Russia’s largest liquefied natural gas producer, Novatek, was found dead with his wife and daughter at a villa in Spain. Catalan regional police, which are investigating the incident, said they believe he killed them and then killed himself.
In May, Russian media reported that a former Lukoil manager, Alexander Subbotin, was found dead in the basement of a house on the outskirts of Moscow.
The same month, Russian media reported that Vladislav Avayev, a former vice president of Gazprombank, was found dead in a Moscow apartment, along with the bodies of his wife and daughter.
Lukoil sided with Russia’s war in Ukraine
Maganov has been with Lukoil since 1993, shortly after founding the company and has oversaw its refining, production and exploration operations, becoming president in 2020. His brother Nail is the man. head of the Russian medium-sized oil producer Tatneft.
Unusually among Russian companies, Lukoil sided with Moscow’s intervention in Ukraine. In a March 3 statement, the company’s board of directors expressed concern about the “tragic events” in Ukraine and called for an “early end to the armed conflict” through negotiations.
Maganov is a close associate of one of Lukoil’s founders, Vagit Alekperov, and regularly participates in meetings of Russian oil producers and the Energy Ministry to decide on joint actions as part of OPEC+ group of the world’s leading oil producers.
Alekperov, a former Soviet deputy oil minister, resigned as chairman of Lukoil in April, a week after Britain imposed an asset freeze and travel ban on him as part of sanctions against illegal activities. Russian military action in Ukraine.