Colonel Sergei Shalaginov, a former high-ranking Russian police officer charged with combating terrorism, was found dead outside a building in Yekaterinburg. His death follows his recent resignation from the post of deputy head of the Center for Combating Extremism in the Sverdlovsk region’s Internal Affairs Ministry. The incident is the latest in a series of mysterious deaths involving Russian officials, often from falls, during the ongoing conflict with Ukraine.
Local news outlet E1 reported the discovery of Shalaginov’s body on Tuesday. Russian and Ukrainian media provided different accounts of the circumstances surrounding his death. Russian media, including the pro-Russian URA.ru website, initially reported that Shalaginov had died by suicide after leaving the Ministry following disagreements with leadership. However, the article was later removed. The Ministry’s Sverdlovsk department confirmed the death but denied any conflicts or links to his professional activities.
Valery Gorelykh, a spokesperson for the Sverdlovsk Police Department, stated that Shalaginov refused a promotion prior to his resignation. Describing the death as “an irreparable loss,” he dismissed speculation linking it to Shalaginov’s career. A local news outlet, KP-Yekaterinburg, noted Shalaginov’s recent retirement from his leadership roles, while an unnamed source praised him as a competent and supportive leader. Pictures circulated in media showed a blurred body near a residential building on Shchorsa Street, with reports claiming he fell from the ninth floor.
Shalaginov was a very good and competent man, he always fought for his subordinates.
The incident regarding Shalaginov occurred alongside an assassination attempt on a Russian general connected to Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. Major General Nikolai Varpakhovich was critically injured by gunfire in the Saratov region. Despite not naming the victim, Russia’s Investigative Committee launched a probe into attempted murder and arms trafficking. Varpakhovich has been accused by Kyiv for his role in the July 2024 missile strike on the Okhmatdet Children’s Hospital in Ukraine. This marks the third assassination attempt on Russian officers recently, according to independent Russian media.
Newsweek attempted to contact the Russian defense ministry for comments on these incidents, seeking insights from editors John Fitzpatrick and Sam Wilson.