Celebrated Russian dancer dead at 39 after balcony fall

(NewsNation) — Investigators in Russia are looking into the death of Vladimir Shklyarov, a principal dancer at the world-famous Mariinsky Ballet in St. Petersburg, after he fell from an apartment block balcony and died at the age of 39.

Police say initial information suggests his fall, which was discovered early Saturday morning, was the result of an accident, state media have reported.

Some Kremlin critics highlighted what they said was a condemnation of the Ukraine war made by Shklyarov in 2022 and posted on Facebook by someone else. However, Shklyarov’s own social media feed currently contains no such post. A Reuters analysis was unable to verify the authenticity of the post made in his name.

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Bill Browder — an investment advisor to the Hermitage Fund, which was formerly the largest foreign portfolio investor in Russia — said Kremlin critics have an unfortunate history of fatal falls.

“In Russia, when you’re dealing with somebody who is opposed to Putin, and they die suddenly and from falling out a window, you would look at all the circumstances and assume foul play until you rule it out,” Browder told NewsNation. “And you know when you mentioned that they were waiting for an investigation, well, who’s going to conduct the investigation? But if he indeed was murdered, then the people who murdered him (would lead the investigation).”

Browder said he’s dealt with similar threats firsthand.

“I know all about it because many of the people close to me have been murdered by the Putin regime,” he said. “They’ve threatened me with death. And so this is a murderous mafia state that kills anybody who stands in their way.”

Reuters contributed to this report.

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