Two Russian officials were reported dead on Sunday 23 April. They were both State Duma deputies with the ruling pro-Vladimir Putin party, United Russia.
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Nikolay Bortsov was 77-years-old and served as a State Duma deputy since 2003. His death was announced by Igor Artamanov, the governor of the Lipetsk region. He was found dead at his home in the town of Lebedyan.
On the same day, State Duma deputy Dzhasharbek Uzdenov died aged 56-years-old following a 'severe and prolonged illness', according to Vladimir Vasilyev, head of the United Russia faction.
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In 2019, news outlet Argumenti Nedeli reported leaked data that revealed Bortsov was on a list of top Russian officials who had been granted residency in the UK. While seeming to be a close political ally of Putin, he allegedly managed to obtain 'indefinite leave to remain' status as a UK resident.
This sparked calls in Moscow for him and other parliamentarians to be investigated by the security services in regards to their loyalty. At the time, Bortsov rejected the claims and always maintained they were false.
Despite this, Lipetsk region governor Artamonov said:
We will remember Nikolay Bortsov as a patriot of his country, always ready to help those who need it, a man who did not stand aside.
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Died Nikolay Bortsov, one of the richest deputies of the Russian State Duma
— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) April 23, 2023
He died at the age of 78. He was a deputy from Putin's "United Russia" party.
In 2022, Bortsov was ranked ninth on the list of the richest deputies of the State Duma, his declared income was 659.8… pic.twitter.com/ofrq4pyH5j
Bortsov was one of Putin’s richest deputies, allegedly worth £450 million and making the Forbes list of Russia’s richest businessmen from 2011 to 2021. He made his fortune as the head of a soft drinks company which he then sold a majority share of to PepsiCo.
Bortsov’s cause of death is not known.
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'Death snatched another comrade from our ranks'
In regards to Uzdenov's death, Vasilyev said via the United Russia's press service:
A hard day. Death snatched another comrade from our ranks. After a severe and prolonged illness, Jasharbek Borisovich Uzdenov, a deputy of the State Duma (United Russia), the former Minister of Natural Resources and Ecology of the Karachay-Cherkess Republic, died.
He added:
Sensitive, attentive, strong-willed, always ready to help - this is how we will remember Jasharbek Borisovich. He fought for a long time, but, unfortunately, the disease turned out to be stronger. We will miss him very much.
Sources used:
Metro: 'Another Russian oligarch mysteriously found dead after he ‘secretly got rights to live in UK’'
Newsweek: 'Two Russian Officials Found Dead on Same Day'
TASS: 'Умер депутат Госдумы Джашарбек Узденов'
