Putin ally falls into the sea, adding to list of mysterious deaths suffered by Russian energy bosses

A top Russian executive has died falling from his boat near Vladivostok, local media reports.

Ivan Pechorin has been described as an ally of Putin, who reportedly picked him for the role.

Pechorin is the latest in a string of unexplained deaths among Russian bosses.

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Another Russian energy boss has died in mysterious circumstances after "falling overboard" from a boat, according to local media reports.

Ivan Pechorin's body was found washed up around 100 miles from Vladivostok in Russia's far east, on Monday after a two-day search, local outlet VL.ru reported.

Pechorin fell off his moving boat on September 10 as it sailed near Russky Island, the outlet reported. He was the Aviation Director for Russia's Far East and Arctic Development Corporation (KRDV), which described his death as an "irreparable loss."

The KRDV is President Vladimir Putin's project for developing the rich energy and mining resources of Russia's farthest eastern region, which has become a crucial objective under the weight of international sanctions.

According to the Mirror's Russia correspondent, he was personally selected by Putin for his role, and was described by Newsweek as Putin's "key man" in the region.

Days earlier, Pechorin spoke on a panel about transportation at an economic forum where Putin gave a keynote speech.

Born in 1983, Pechorin is the second KRDV executive to die unexpectedly this year, adding to an ever-expanding roster of Russian businessman and oligarch deaths.

In February, the same firm announced the death of its general director, Igor Nosov. The 43-year-old died of a stroke, Newsweek reported.

On September 1, state media reported the death of Ravik Maganov, chair of the board of directors of top Russian oil company Lukoil, saying he fell from a hospital window.

Lukoil had taken the unusual step of criticizing the Russian invasion of Ukraine six months earlier.

At least eight other oligarchs with connections to the energy industry have also died in mysterious circumstances in 2022.

They include Sergey Protosenya, who was found dead in Spain along with his wife and daughter in a suspected murder-suicide in April and Vladislav Avayev, also suspected of a murder-suicide just two days before in Moscow.

In May, former oil executive Alexander Subbotin died at the house of a shaman in the Moscow region, which was reported in state media as the result of a likely heart attack. According to Newsweek, he was seeking a hangover cure.

Then in July, shipping CEO Yuri Baranov was found dead of a gunshot wound in his St Petersburg swimming pool.