Fourth Russian Lukoil Exec Found Dead by Apparent Suicide

The vice president of Russian Lukoil, Vitaly Robertus, has been found dead in his office in Moscow, according to a Lukoil, making him the fourth top Lukoil executive to die since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in March 2022.  

“It is with deep regret that we inform you that at the age of 54, the vice-president of the company, Robertus Vitaly Vladimirovich, suddenly died,” Lukoil said in a March 13 press release, which did not disclose the cause of death.  

While the Lukoil press release avoided mentioning the cause of death, Russian Telegram channels, both independent and linked to the Kremlin, reported on Thursday that the Robertus had been found “hanged”. 

According to Baza, which is believed to be associated with Russian security services, “shortly before his death, Robertus complained about his health and asked for pills for a headache, after which he went to his office and did not leave for several hours. Robertus did not answer his phone. His employees decided to enter his office and discovered his body. The top manager committed suicide and died of asphyxia. He worked for the company for about 30 years.”

Another telegram channel by VChK-OGPU news outlet claimed the Lukoil executive had no chronic illness or family problems, and that friends had seen him the night before and he was with “sober mind and in good health”. The veracity of this Telegram channel has not been independently confirmed. 

Robertus’ death follows that of Lukoil Chairman Vladimir Nekrasov, who died of acute heart failure in October 2023 and previous chairman Ravil Maganov, who died after apparently falling out of a window of a Moscow hospital in August 2022. Prior to that, in May 2022, former top Lukoil manager Aleksandr Subbotin was found dead in the basement of a home outside of Moscow under mysterious circumstances, according to an RFE/RL report. 

By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:

• This Could Be A Gamechanger For Natural Gas In Europe
• Oil Prices May Yet End the Week on a High Note
• U.S. Seeks Semiconductor Supremacy with New Funding Initiatives