We may never find out why so many well-heeled Russian "businessmen" have died violently since January, usually in "murder-suicide" scenarios where family members are also killed. The fact that four out of the five known deaths were people affiliated with Russia's state-owned Gazprom giant raises suspicions that the Kremlin may have discovered the four taking too much of thug and criminal Vladimir Putin's share. Perhaps they were suspected of sharing information with the world about corruption at the Kremlin and had to be silenced.
The alleged murder-suicides also bear the marks of professionals, where the deaths are meant to signal others what might be in store for them if they stray too far. Killing entire families, rather than just an individual target, is part of that mode. For a regime that puts no premium on human life, it's entirely thinkable.
Mikhail Watford, a Ukrainian-born oil and gas billionaire, was found dead at his estate in Surry, England in March. British police don't suspect foul play, but Russians assassinated abroad aren't normally stabbed or shot to death. We trust the British authorities will investigate thoroughly and we'll see if Mr. Watford can be added to the growing list.
(photo: S. Bobylev / TASS)
