Putin's close senior official found dead after apparent plunge from high-rise apartment

A senior Russian Defense Ministry official close to Russia’s President Vladimir Putin has died in St. Petersburg.

The woman officer reportedly fell from the 16th floor of the building. The Department of Financial Support of the Russian Ministry of Defense is located in Saint Petersburg. It was headed by Marina Yankina. Yankina was found dead by a passerby at the entrance of a house on Jamshina Street.

According to the report, it is being told that Yankina fell from a height of 160 meters and died. According to the report, she was one of the key financiers of Russia’s military invasion of Ukraine. The Russian Investigative Committee and the press service of the Western Military District Fontanka confirmed her death and opened an investigation into her mysterious fall.

Her personal belongings were found on the 16th floor of the house. Citing media outlet Mash on Moika, the report said Yankina had called her ex-husband and informed him of what she intended to do.

Prior to joining the Western Military Region, Yankina served in the Federal Tax Service and also served as deputy chairman of the Property Relations Committee of St. Petersburg. She is said to have been at the center of efforts to strengthen funding for the war launched by Russia on 24 February.

This is the latest case in the death of several Russian officers during the war between Russia and Ukraine. A few days before her death, Russian General Vladimir Makarov was also found suspiciously dead. He was recently fired from the military by President Vladimir Putin.

According to news reports, on 26 December, Russian leader Pavel Antonov died after falling from a hotel in India. Aleksey Masalov, former head of the Russian army, died in hospital on December 25, while Alexander Buzakov, who served as the head of Russia’s ‘Admiralty Shipyard’ for a decade, died on December 24, DailyMail reported.

(With inputs from agencies)

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