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Russian bank executive, 28, mysteriously dies after plunging out of 11th floor Moscow flat
The incident comes days after Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin's aborted coup attempt, posing questions about the woman's involvement.
https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/1785903/russian-banker-dies-fall-apartment-moscow

By CIARAN MCGRATH
14:57, Thu, Jun 29, 2023 | UPDATED: 15:42, Thu, Jun 29, 2023

The vice-president of a Russian bank has died after a mysterious fall from the window of the Moscow apartment block where she lived.

Kristina Baikova, 28, an executive of Loko-Bank, apparently fell out of the window of the building on Khodynsky Boulevard.

Police are understood to be investigating her death.

Ms Baikova was at her eleventh-floor apartment with her friend, a 34-year-old named Andrei.

He claimed she invited him for a drink before falling out of the window.

Kristina Baikova

Loko-Bank executive Kristina Baikova (Image: Kristina Baikova)
Ms Baikova is far from the first wealthy Russian to die in mysterious circumstances since the start of Putin's war.

In September, Ivan Pechorin became the seventh former ally of the Russian President to die since the start of the year.

Other high-profile deaths have included oil tycoon Ravil Maganov, who similarly fell out of a hospital window, former Gazprom official Alexander Tyulakov and Vladislav Avayev.

Russian dissident Andrey Sidelnikov, who was forced to flee his homeland 15 years ago, and who now lives in the UK commented: “The Kremlin gets rid of objectionable people.

Vladimir Putin Ravil Maganov

Oil tycoon Ravil Maganov, pictured with Putin, likewise died in a mysterious fall last year (Image: GETTY)
“It can be both political deaths and economic deaths.

“There is a big redistribution of the market in Russia.”

The recent aborted rebellion, by Wagner Group founder Yevgeny Prigozhin, has introduced another dimension, given analysts have suggested an increasingly jumpy Putin may be plotting a purge in order to prevent any repetition of such insurrection.

Russian generals Chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov and deputy commander General Sergei Surovikin, nicknamed "General Armageddon," are believed to be missing in the wake of the revolt.

Ivor Pechorin

Ivor Pechorin died in September (Image: NC)
Prigozhin himself has not been seen since Saturday, when he waved to well-wishers from a vehicle in the southern city of Rostov. He issued a defiant audio statement on Monday.

And on Tuesday morning, a private jet believed to belong to him flew from Rostov to an air base southwest of the Belarusian capital of Minsk, according to data from FlightRadar24.

Meanwhile, Moscow said preparations were underway for Wagner's troops, who numbered 25,000 according to Prigozhin, to hand over their heavy weapons to Russia's military.

Prigozhin had said such moves were being taken ahead of a July 1 deadline for his fighters to sign contracts - which he opposes - with Russia's military command.

Russian authorities also said Tuesday they have closed a criminal investigation into the uprising and are pressing no armed rebellion charge against Prigozhin or his followers.