What happened to Vladimir Lebedev? Russian senator, 61, dies after suffering ‘heart attack’ as he becomes latest mystery oil tycoon death.
Vladimir Lebedev was a prominent public figure in Russia.
He had a career as a politician and later became a senator, a position he held for close to a decade.
Lebedev, who had close links to the Kremlin, had connections to energy giant Lukoil – a company dogged by mystery deaths since Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.
The world learned about the Nizhny Novgorod Oblast’s senator’s death in November 2023, and following this tragic passing, which is one of the latest mysterious deaths of businessmen since Putin invaded Ukraine, many want to know more about his cause of death, net worth, spouse, kids, and career.
What was Vladimir Lebedev’s cause of death?
Senator from Nizhny Novgorod Oblast, Vladimir Lebedev has been confirmed dead.
He was 61 when he passed.
The politician passed away on 30 November 2023.
The initial cause of Lebedev’s death was announced as a “heart attack”.
No further details were given.
But colleagues indicated he had been healthy and his death came as a “deep shock”.
Gleb Nikitin, the governor of Nizhny Novgorod region, which Lebedev represented in the senate, said: “All of us who knew him well and were friends with him were shocked… a terrible tragedy.”
His passing comes after more than 30 deaths were recorded among Russia’s prominent men who died since the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Lebedev had close business ties to Vladimir Nekrasov, 66, chairman of the Lukoil board of directors, who also died “suddenly” last month.
Who was Vladimir Lebedev?
Vladimir Lebedev (real name: Vladimir Albertovich Lebedev) was born on 23 April 1962, in Novogrudok, Grodno Oblast, Byelorussian SSR, USSR.
He had a decades-long career as a politician and served as the senator of Nizhny Novgorod Oblast from 25 September 2014 to November 30, 2023, the time of his death.
Nekrasov had appointed Lebedev to serve with him on the board of Lukoil subsidiary TGC-8.
In 1988, he graduated from the Nizhny Novgorod State Technical University. After graduation, he worked at the Gorky Regional Committee of the Komsomol.
From 1997 to 2004, he worked in various energy enterprises in management positions. From 2004 to 2005, Lebedev was the First Deputy Chairman of the Government of the Kirov Oblast.
Lebedev was also a longstanding friend and hunting pal of Putin’s closest Kremlin aide, Sergei Kiriyenko, 61 – a former Russian prime minister and the tyrant’s deputy chief of staff.
Britain, the European Union (EU), and the US had sanctioned Lebedev for his ardent support of Putin’s war against Ukraine.
Lebedev and Kiriyenko were part of a group of Young Communists who came into positions of power after the fall of the Soviet Union.
Who is Vladimir Lebedev’s wife and does he have any kids?
Late politician Vladimir Lebedev was believed to be married, but details about his personal life, like his wife’s name and profession, are unknown.
Vladimir Lebedev kept discrete information regarding his wife.
Information is absent regarding Vladimir Lebedev’s children.
There are no confirmed reports about the politician having welcomed a son or a daughter with anyone.
What was Vladimir Lebedev’s net worth?
Vladimir Lebedev, in his long years in politics, had accumulated an impressive fortune before he died.
Russian politician Vladimir Lebedev had an estimated net worth which remains undisclosed.
Which other public figures have died since Putin invaded Ukraine?
Earlier this week, prominent banker Nikolay Vasyov, 42, the senior vice president of state-owned Sberbank, died of a “heart attack”.
There have been a spate of mysterious Russian deaths – especially linked to the energy and banking sectors – since the war started.
Lukoil tycoon Ravil Maganov, 67, fell from a window of Moscow’s elite Central Clinical Hospital, also known as the Kremlin Clinic, in September last year.
There were suspicions of murder but Maganov had been in hospital for a longstanding heart problem and fell from a sixth-floor window, dying on the spot.
On the same morning, Putin – who had earlier decorated Maganov with a top honor – swept into the hospital to pay his final respects to Mikhail Gorbachev, the last Soviet leader, who had died the same week.
Billionaire Alexander Subbotin, 43 – also linked to energy giant Lukoil where he was a top manager – was found dead in May 2022.
One theory is that Subbotin – who owned a shipping company – was poisoned by toad venom triggering a heart attack.
Lukoil initially appeared less than loyal to Putin when the war started, demanding negotiations to end the fighting.
The company’s board including both Nekrasov and Maganov issued a statement on Putin’s invasion which “expresses its concern over the ongoing tragic events in Ukraine and its deepest sympathy to all those affected by this tragedy”.
“We are in favour of an early cessation of the armed conflict and fully support its resolution through the negotiation process and diplomatic means,” they said.