Vladimir Putin-linked Russian channel editor’s mystery death: ‘May be poisoned’

Head of one of Russia’s state TV channels was found dead after a suspected poisoning incident, officials said.

Zoya Konovalova, 48, editor-in-chief of Kuban, was found alongside the body of her ex-husband at a home in the Krasnodar region, it was reported after a series of mysterious deaths involving prominent Russian figures since Vladimir Putin’s February 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The channel said in a statement, “The head of the Internet group of the State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company Kuban Zoya Konovalova has died. Our colleague was 48 years old.”

Russia’s state-run news agency RIA Novosti reported that no visible injuries were found on the bodies and “the cause of death is said to be poisoning.” Zoya Konovalova is survived by a 15-year-old daughter and son, local media reported.

Another Russian journalist, Alexander Rybin, was found dead in Russia’s Rostov region, earlier. His body was found near a highway, his friend and mother said but the cause of his death is unclear.

Last month, Anna Tsareva, the deputy editor-in-chief of Komsomolskaya Pravda, was found dead in her apartment in Moscow, the publication said.

“Anya never complained about her health. Recently, in an apologetic voice, she explained that she had a cough and a temperature that had suddenly jumped to 39, but that everything would get better soon,” Komsomolskaya Pravda said, adding, “Three days ago, Anya came down with a fever again. The last phrase that her friend and work colleague at KP heard from her was: ‘I took my medicine, I’m going to bed. The next day, December 10, Anna stopped responding to messages. Concerned colleagues and parents immediately sensed that things were bad. Anya was found in bed.”