Dmitry Zelenov has joined the growing list of Russian tycoons to die under mysterious circumstances since the invasion of Ukraine began.
The 50-year-old property mogul died in early December after allegedly falling down a flight of stairs during a visit with friends in the town of Antibes on the French Riviera.
Mr. Zelenov reportedly died as a result of head injuries after falling ill during a group dinner earlier in the evening.
The news was confirmed by Russian news outlet Baza and local French publication Var Matin.
Baza reported via Telegram that the oligarch had undergone surgery in the lead-up to his death, and it was reported he was taken to the hospital after the fall but was unable to be saved by medics.
Mr. Zelenov made his fortune as the co-founder of real estate giant Don-Stroy in the mid-90s after the fall of the Soviet Union, however, the company was hit by major financial losses during the global financial crisis.
Within hours of the news of his death breaking, attention began turning to the eerie similarities between his death and that of fellow Russian tycoon Anatoly Gerashchenko, who died in September after also falling downstairs.
The 73-year-old was the head of Moscow’s Aviation Institute (MAI), which is closely linked to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s Defence Ministry, and the “accident”, which was confirmed by the organization in a statement, occurred at the company’s Moscow head office.
