Another Top Manager Died In Mysterious Circumstances In Russia

• 27.04.2026, 15:32

20th since the start of the war.

The string of deaths of top managers and businessmen that swept Russia shortly after the war with Ukraine began continues, writes The Moscow Times.

The 42-year-old Sergei Loitner, who was Yandex's commercial director from 2022 to 2024, and for the past two years worked as "Yango," the international division of the Russian Internet giant, drowned near Volgograd while fishing on the Volga River.

V1.ru reports, citing sources, that Loitner's body was identified among three dead fishermen whose disappearance became known late last week. Along with Leutner, Volgograd real estate developer Sergey Nazarov (his body has not yet been found) and the businessman's personal driver Igor Prokhorov drowned.

Prokhorov's body was discovered first. "The deceased was found to have injuries on his head. Preliminarily they either rolled over or hit something," the source told V1.ru.

Lautner became at least the 20th top manager to die in Russia under mysterious circumstances since the war began.