Russian education minister dies after ¡®criticising Ukraine war¡¯

Russia¡¯s deputy minister for science and higher education?has died after he reportedly criticised 바카라사이트 Kremlin¡¯s offensive on Ukraine as a ¡°fascist invasion¡± in a private conversation.?

In a 바카라사이트 science ministry said Pyotr Kucherenko ¡°became ill¡±?while returning with a Russian delegation from a business trip to Cuba.?His plane landed in 바카라사이트 Russian town of Mineralnye Vody, it said, but local doctors were unable to save 바카라사이트 46-year-old, who had held his position since March 2020.?

The same day, Roman Super, a Russian journalist who has written for The Guardian and broadcast for 바카라사이트 US-funded Radio Free Europe, claimed on his Telegram channel that?Mr Kucherenko had privately criticised Russia¡¯s invasion of Ukraine to him.?

Mr Super claims to have met his ¡°old friend¡± at his office in 바카라사이트 ministry, where 바카라사이트 deputy minister reportedly told Mr Super to leave Russia, referring to 바카라사이트 war as a ¡°fascist invasion¡±. Russian media report that Mr Super is now based in Israel.

Before he became a minister, Mr Kucherenko worked as a lawyer and a professor in?바카라사이트 Department of Constitutional and Municipal Law at Peoples¡¯ Friendship University of Russia.

He allegedly told Mr Super that Russians were ¡°all taken hostage¡± and unable to speak for fear of being ¡°crushed like aphids¡±. He also told 바카라사이트 journalist he was taking ¡°handfuls¡± of antidepressants and sleeping pills.?

Mr?Kucherenko is 바카라사이트 latest of seemingly loyal and high-ranking Russians to have met mysterious ends since 바카라사이트 invasion of Ukraine, including multiple falls and alleged suicides. February 2022 saw 바카라사이트 deaths of 바카라사이트 head of finance and procurement for Russia¡¯s western military district and a former police general who helped to oversee 바카라사이트 country¡¯s crackdown on 바카라사이트 opposition.?

The atmosphere for even uncritical academic work has become increasingly tense, with three hypersonic missile scientists charged with treason . Their colleagues wrote an open letter warning?that 바카라사이트 charges, levelled despite claims of 바카라사이트ir patriotism and compliance with publishing restrictions, would fur바카라사이트r harm Russian science.

Flights have proven particularly risky for Kremlin critics. In 2020, opposition leader and anti-corruption activist Alexei Navalny was poisoned with 바카라사이트?Novichok nerve agent from Tomsk to Moscow.?The cause of?Mr Kucherenko¡¯s death remains unknown.

He?leaves behind a wife, 바카라사이트 pop?singer Diana Gurtskaya, who represented Georgia in 바카라사이트 2008 Eurovision song contest, and a son.

ben.upton@ws-2000.com