Chilling clues that suggest 7 Russian oligarchs were MURDERED by Putin as paranoid Vlad purges billionaire inner circle

AT least seven Russian oligarchs close to Vladimir Putin may have been murdered as the president purges his inner circle of former wealthy allies. Since the start of the year, several of Putin‘s cronies have died in mysterious circumstances. East2WestRavil Maganov, head of Russian oil giant Lukoil, died after falling from a hospital window[/caption] East2WestHe reportedly fell from a sixth-storey window at a Moscow clinic[/caption] East2WestRussian gas tycoon Sergei Protosenya, his wife Natalya, 53, and teenage daughter Maria were found dead in their Spanish mansion[/caption] East2WestPutin crony Ivan Pechorin died after ‘falling overboard’[/caption] But sources believe they may have actually been murdered as it’s claimed there were similarities in their deaths. The latest apparent victim was Ivan Pechorin – Putin’s point man for developing Russia‘s vast Arctic resources. He fell off the side of a boat in waters close to Russky Island in mysterious circumstances, it is reported. It came just weeks after oil boss Ravil Maganov died after “falling from a hospital window”. READ MORE ON RUSSIA LAST STAND Watch as captured Russian commander reveals his troops ‘blew THEMSELVES UP’ MOSCOW FOOLS Inside Vlad's military collapse as generals flee & hold 'surrender talks' The 64-year-old, who was head of Russian oil giant Lukoil, reportedly died after falling from a sixth-floor window at Moscow’s Central Clinic Hospital. Lukoil, which had earlier criticised the war in Ukraine, confirmed Maganov’s death, but bizarrely put it down instead to some unknown illness. A picture shared online reportedly showed a bodybag containing Maganov’s corpse on the ground by the hospital wall. The anti-Kremlin Telegram channel General SVR claimed that Maganov had been killed on Putin’s orders. Most read in The Sun IN RESPECT Five major supermarkets to close for up to four hours for Queen's funeral BILL HELP How one million Shell Energy customers will be paid £400 energy bill rebate ARTHUR EDWARDS Harry looked miserable but interaction between Kate & Meg was more telling DAY OF MOURNING Queen's funeral Bank Holiday rules - will we have to go to work and school? AD BLUNDER Mystery as Queen's undertaker removes hearse window ad during six hour drive 'LITTLE ANGEL' Joe Wicks reveals newborn daughter's adorable name in sweet Insta post It was reported that his wife was in the next room at the time of his death, and there were no CCTV cameras pointing at the building at the point where he fell. Law enforcement sources reportedly said that no suicide note was discovered at the scene. But those are just the latest mysterious death among the Kremlin’s former inner circle since the run-up to the war in Ukraine. On February 25 – the day after Putin ordered his troops into Ukraine – the body of Alexander Tyulakov, a senior Gazprom financial and security official at the deputy general director level – was discovered dead by his lover. The 61-year-old’s neck was in a noose in his £500,000 home.  Just three weeks prior – in the same elite gated housing development in the Leningrad region – Leonid Shulman, head of transport at Gazprom Invest, was found dead. Many cases of [suspicious deaths] are like settling scores Gennady GudkovFormer FSB chief The 60-year-old was discovered with multiple stab wounds in a pool of blood on his bathroom floor. Meanwhile, wealthy Vladislav Avayev, 51, an ex-vice-president of Gazprombank and former Kremlin official, was found shot dead in his elite Moscow penthouse. And days later, Sergey Protosenya, 55, was found dead by hanging in Spain. Protosenya was a former deputy chairman of Novotek, a company closely linked to the Kremlin. And in In March, the body of Russian billionaire Vasily Melnikov was found in his luxury apartment with stab wounds in the city of Nizhny Novgorod. Here are the clues which suggest the seven may have been murdered amid fears Putin is purging his inner circle as his invasion of Ukraine continues to stall. ‘SIMILARITIES’ IN DEATHS At least five of the alleged suicides have all been labelled as “suspicious” by Russian sources – including a former FSB colonel on the Telegram messaging channel. Writing on Mozhem Obyasnit – which means We Can Explain – Gennady Gudkov claimed there were similarities in the passing of top managers and their families from senior gas companies. He claimed: “Don’t let the ‘rats’ escape, they might talk. “If we already understand that the regime is engaged in the elimination of its opponents and enemies, then why will they not deal with those who are considered traitors who have fled the system. “Many cases of [suspicious deaths] are like settling scores.” East2WestFormer Kremlin official and Gazprombank vice-president Vladislav Avayev was found dead by his daughter[/caption] FAMILIES FOUND DEAD In the two most recent macabre incidents, the families of the two oligarchs have been killed – raising suspicions that the “suicides” were staged. Vladislav Avayev, 51, was found shot dead along with his wife Yelena, 47, and his 13-year-old daughter Maria at their home in Moscow. The bodies were discovered by Avayecv’s eldest daughter Anastasia, 26, alongside a total of 13 different weapons. A law enforcement source said that a gun was found in Avayev’s hand. Kremlin analyst Olga Lautman said that Avayev previously worked in Putin’s presidential administration, as well as in the parliament, or Duma. Meanwhile, in a chilling echo of Avayev’s death, Russian tycoon Sergey Protosenya, 55, his wife Natalya, 53, and his 18-year-old daughter Maria were discovered dead at their luxury Spanish villa. Protosenya, who boasted a fortune of over £333million, did not leave a suicide note before allegedly hanging himself in the courtyard. Natalia and Maria had been hacked to death in their beds with an axe in the Lloret de Mar on Spain’s Costa Brava, according to reports. Police found the gruesome scene after the couple’s teenage son, who was in France at the time, raised concerns. Alleged inconsistencies at the crime scene and the coincidental death of two gas oligarchs and their families in a matter of days have raised suspicions. East2WestAlexander Tyulyakov, a top manager in Gazprom, was found dead by a lover the day after the war broke out[/caption] OLIGARCH ‘BADLY BEATEN’ BEFORE DEATH Just one day after Putin invaded Ukraine, the body of Gazprom deputy general director Alexander Tyulakov was found. His hung body was discovered by his lover in his £500,000 home in Leningrad. But according to reports, he had been badly beaten before his death – raising speculation over how he died. East2WestTop manager of Gazprom Leonid Shulman, 60, was found dead in his mansion with multiple stab wounds[/caption] KNIFE ‘OUT OF REACH’ In the same gated housing development in the Leningrad region, Leonid Shulman – head of transport at Gazprom Invest – was found dead on January 29. He was discovered with multiple stab wounds in a pool of blood on his bathroom floor. A note was found, the contents of which have not been disclosed, and the Russian Investigative Committee reportedly refused to discuss the deaths.  It’s reported a knife was found in the bathtub, seemingly out of reach.  ‘LINKS TO KREMLIN’ Suspicions have been raised over the five deaths as they come amid a shake-up in ownership in Russian business. The change was triggered by Western sanctions which have frozen many fortunes.  Engineer and economist Protosenya had been chief accountant of Novatek company, the largest independent producer of natural gas in Russia, between 2002 and 2014, and later vice president. He had a fortune of $440 million, it is claimed.  Novatek is co-owned by close Putin friend Gennady Timchenko and the privileged giant had been recently excluded from the Kremlin leader’s edict to trade energy only in rubles. The company is also closely linked to Pyotr Kolbin, a Putin childhood friend, allegedly a “shadow holder of Putin’s wealth”. “So, under strange and similar circumstances, the families of managers of two key private companies managing the money of Putin’s entourage died,” stated Mozhem Obyasnit. Twitter/Nexta_tvBillionaire Vasily Melnikov was found dead alongside his family last month[/caption] ‘STRUGGLE TO BELIEVE’ In March, the bodies of Russian billionaire Vasily Melnikov and his wife and two sons were discovered in his luxury apartment in the city of Nizhny Novgorod, 250 miles east of Moscow. All died from stab wounds, according to the Russian newspaper Kommersant. The paper quoted police investigators, who said they had determined that Melnikov killed his family before committing suicide. However, neighbours and relatives have since come forward and said they struggle to believe Melnikov could have done something so evil. The businessman had been an executive at medical firm MedStom, which had suffered greatly as a result of economic sanctions placed on Russia in the wake of the invasion of Ukraine, according to Ukrainian publication Glavred. pixel8000Ukrainian-born Mikhail Watford was found dead at his Surrey mansion last month[/caption] PUTIN CRITIC FOUND DEAD Early in March, just a week into the war, police in Surrey were called to the posh house of a Ukrainian business tycoon Mikhail Watford. The 66-year-old was found hanged at his £18m home on the exclusive Wentworth Estate in Virginia Water. A neighbour of Mikhail claimed he had told her that Putin had put him on a hit list. She also said Mr Watford, known as Misha, had been a pal of Russian billionaire Boris Berezovsky, found hanged at his home in Ascot, Berks, in 2013. Read More on The Sun LINE OF DUTY Charles and Camilla arrive in Edinburgh for Queen's sombre coffin procession PATCHING IT UP? Harry offers olive branch to Charles after Megxit feud with telling message Mr Watford told her Berezovsky had been murdered by an intelligence agency. The neighbour went on: “I find it hard to believe that Misha would have taken his own life. It doesn’t add up.” Help those fleeing conflict with The Sun’s Ukraine Fund PICTURES of women and children fleeing the horror of Ukraine’s devastated towns and cities have moved Sun readers to tears. Many of you want to help the five million caught in the chaos — and now you can, by donating to The Sun’s Ukraine Fund. Give as little as £3 or as much as you can afford and every penny will be donated to the Red Cross on the ground helping women, children, the old, the infirm and the wounded. Donate here to help The Sun’s fund Or text to 70141 from UK mobiles £3 — text SUN£3£5 — text SUN£5£10 — text SUN£10 Texts cost your chosen donation amount (e.g. £5) +1 standard message (we receive 100%). For full T&Cs visit redcross.org.uk/mobile The Ukraine Crisis Appeal will support people in areas currently affected and those potentially affected in the future by the crisis. In the unlikely event that the British Red Cross raise more money than can be reasonably and efficiently spent, any surplus funds will be used to help them prepare for and respond to other humanitarian disasters anywhere in the world. For more information visit https://donate.redcross.org.uk/appeal/disaster-fund