Russian politician who criticized war in Ukraine found dead in hotel

A Russian politician who previously described the war in Ukraine as “terror” has died mysteriously.

Pavel Antov was traveling in India to celebrate his upcoming 66th birthday when he was found on Saturday.

The Russian Consul General said he “fell” from a hotel window in Rayagada, Odisha state.

His Indian guide rushed him to hospital, but he was later pronounced dead by a doctor.

Mr. Antov, a married multimillionaire, was a member of the main pro-Putin party, United Russia.

A friend of the wealthy regional MP, 61-year-old Vladimir Budanov, had died “of a heart attack” two days earlier.

This has prompted Indian authorities to investigate whether Mr Antov jumped after becoming “depressed by the loss”.

He also spoke out against the war in Ukraine in June after Moscow launched air strikes on Kiev.

Speaking of a Russian missile strike, Antov said: “A girl was pulled out from under the rubble, the girl’s father seems to have died.

“The mother is trying to be pulled out with a crane – she is trapped under a panel. Frankly, it is extremely difficult to call this anything other than terror.’

But he quickly retracted the comment and apologized. He insisted that he had “always supported the president” and had “sincerely” supported the goals of Putin’s military operation.

Mr. Antov, who leaves behind a wife and daughter, is Russia’s wealthiest legislator. In 2019, his declared annual income was estimated at £130 million according to an analysis by Forbes Russia.

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