Putin’s critic, Russian oil boss Maganov dies ‘after falling from hospital window’
Chairman of Lukoil, Russia’s second largest oil producer, Ravil Maganov has died after mysteriously falling from a hospital window in Moscow, according to reports in the country.
Mr Maganov, who was also vice president at Lukoil, had openly criticised President Vladimir Putin and the country’s invasion of Ukraine.
The late Maganov had called for the termination of the Russian invasion of Ukraine which commenced in February, this year.
The 67-year-old was chairman of the company’s board had called for the ‘soonest termination of the armed conflict’ in Ukraine and expressed ‘sincere empathy for all victims’ in March.
“We strongly support a lasting ceasefire and a settlement of problems through serious negotiations and diplomacy,” Maganov had said in a statement.
Maganov died after falling from a sixth floor window at the Central Clinical Hospital this morning, according to RBC News in Russia, even as multiple news sources also reported that Maganov fell from a window.
The hospital, reportedly known as the ‘Kremlin Clinic’ for its treatment of patients from Russia’s political and business elite, confirmed the death without disclosing the circumstances.
It is the same hospital where former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev died on Tuesday.
Maganov is the second top Lukoil executive to die in mysterious circumstances in recent months.
Russian police opened a criminal case after the death of former Lukoil executive Alexander Subbotin in early May.
Maganov had worked at Lukoil, Russia’s biggest privately held oil producer, since 1993 and had overseen its refining, production and exploration operations.
He became chairman in 2020.
Maganov was a close associate of one of the company’s founders Vagit Alekperov, a former Soviet deputy oil minister, who was sanctioned by Britain after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
His brother Nail is the head of mid-sized Russian oil producer Tatneft.
No immediate comment was available from Lukoil.
