Russia has once again been shaken by the death of a prominent figure linked to the Kremlin. Kirill Vyshinsky, 58, who directed the Russia Today (RT) media empire and previously worked closely with Vladimir Putin, has died in Moscow.
His passing adds to a growing list of mysterious deaths among high-profile Russians in recent years.
From Ukraine Detention to Moscow Media Powerhouse
Vyshinsky’s life was deeply entwined with the political tensions between Russia and Ukraine.
In 2018, as a Ukrainian citizen, he was arrested in Kyiv on charges of high treason for working in Russian propaganda.
After spending about a year in detention, he was exchanged to Moscow in 2019 as part of a “35 for 35” prisoner swap.
Back in Russia, Vyshinsky became executive director of RT and had previously led the RIA Novosti news agency from 2014.
That same year, he received Russian state honors for his role in Crimea’s annexation and eventually obtained Russian citizenship.
His Role in Propaganda and Politics
Vyshinsky remained a staunch supporter of Putin and Russia’s policies, including the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
He openly promoted the Kremlin’s narrative, describing the military goals as “demilitarisation and denazification.”
He also served on Putin’s so-called human rights council and acted as a public representative for the Russian president during elections.
Despite state media claiming he died after a “lengthy illness,” Vyshinsky had been active in media appearances as recently as this summer, raising questions about the sudden announcement.
A Pattern of Mysterious Deaths
Vyshinsky’s death fits a concerning pattern in Russia, where numerous elite figures have met sudden or unexplained ends.
Notable recent cases include:
-
Andrey Badalov, vice-president of Transneft, who fell from his Moscow apartment tower in July 2025. Authorities reported a suicide note.
-
Ravil Maganov, chairman of Lukoil, who died in 2022 after falling from a hospital window. State media called it suicide, though no note existed and CCTV was absent.
-
Marina Yankina, head of financial support at the Russian Defence Ministry, fell from a 16th-floor window in St. Petersburg in 2023. Circumstances remain unclear.
-
Mikhail Rogachev, former Yukos vice-president, fell from his Moscow apartment in 2024. Police cited cancer and a note, but friends and family dispute these claims.
These cases often involve falls from heights and raise suspicions about the official explanations, fueling speculation about the fates of Russia’s elite under Putin’s regime.
Vyshinsky’s Legacy and Controversy
Vyshinsky’s career was marked by both accolades from Moscow and condemnation abroad.
In June 2025, Ukraine’s Supreme Anti-Corruption Court approved a claim to seize over £200,000 of his assets.
RT chief Margarita Simonyan praised him as a “courageous man who served time for our values in a Ukrainian prison, unbroken, strong.”
His death joins a troubling list of high-profile figures whose passings have sparked intrigue, doubt, and questions about what really happens behind closed doors in Russia’s corridors of power.
