Another top-level Russian manager dies under mysterious conditions

Igor Shkurko, deputy general director and chief engineer of Yakutskenergo [Russian energy company – ed.], has been found dead in Yakutsk’s pre-trial detention centre in Russia.

Source: The Moscow Times (TMT)

Details: The Moscow Times has reported that Shkurko had been sent to a pretrial detention centre on 31 March after being detained for bribery.

The Russian Federal Penitentiary Service claimed that the top-level manager committed suicide on 4 April. "The accused was found without signs of life in the pre-trial detention centre’s cell. Doctors pronounced him dead. An investigative team was called to the scene. Preliminary reports indicate that no signs of violent death were found," it said.

However, TMT noted that Shkurko had disagreed with the arrest and appealed against it on the eve of his death, on 3 April. The Investigative Committee refused to comment on this information. Yakutskenergo also ignored requests from the media.

In general, according to TMT's estimates, about 40 Russian top-level managers, businessmen and managers have died under unexplained conditions in 15 months.

For reference: Ihor Shkurko, 49, was responsible for the technical management of PJSC Yakutskenergo, which belongs to RusHydro [a Russian hydroelectricity company – ed.]. The deceased senior manager is survived by his wife and two sons. Prior to his appointment at Yakutskenergo, Shkurko worked as the general director of OJSC South Yakutia Electric Networks. He was a member of the Aldansk District Council from the United Russia political party. The party suspended his membership after his arrest.

Background:

• The body of Alexander Tyulyakov, a 61-year-old senior manager at Gazprom, was found on the morning of 25 February 2022, in Leningrad Oblast.
• In April 2022, Sergei Protosenya, a former senior manager at Novatek, a Russian gas company, his wife and daughter were found dead in Spain.

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