The vice-president of the Russian oil group Lukoil, Vitaly Robertus, died suddenly at the age of 54. According to the press release released by the company, relaunched by Sky News, the manager died “suddenly”. Some Russian channels, including Astra and Baza, then added that the man had committed suicide. Robertus' death is the latest in a series of mysterious deaths among top executives in Russia's oil and gas sector. Robertus' body was found in the Lukoil office in Moscow. According to the reconstructions that have circulated, before his death, he had asked for headache pills and locked himself in his office for several hours. Employees reportedly found his body after forcing the door. The cause of death was asphyxia.
In its statement, Lukoil recalled how Robertus worked for more than 30 years at the company, earning the respect of his colleagues and receiving awards for his success in developing the fuel and energy sector. The company describes him as a talented leader, a versatile person and an understanding companion.
The Anti-War Enterprise
But it is easy to remember that this is the fourth death among senior executives of the oil company and the twentieth in the oil sector. In 2023, Prime Minister Vladimir Nekrasov died of heart failure, while Ravil Maganov, former president, died from injuries sustained when falling from a hospital room window. Another senior executive, Alexander Subbotin, was found dead of a heart attack caused, according to some theories, by toad venom. Lukoil was one of the few companies to oppose the war in Ukraine, expressing support for a peaceful solution through negotiations and diplomatic means. In recent years, other executives and former executives of Russian companies have been found dead in suspicious circumstances.