High-Profile Poisonings and Political Assassinations (2000–2018)

1. Putin inaugurated, security state influence grows

   May 7, 2000Labels: Vladimir Putin, Russian security

   • Britannica
   • Inauguration

2. Duma deputy Sergei Yushenkov shot in Moscow

   Apr 17, 2003Labels: Sergei Yushenkov

   • VOA
   • Yushenkov

3. Journalist-lawmakers mourn Yuri Shchekochikhin’s sudden death

   Jul 3, 2003Labels: Yuri Shchekochikhin

   • RFE RL
   • RSF

4. Forbes Russia editor Paul Klebnikov murdered

   Jul 9, 2004Labels: Paul Klebnikov

   • Washington Post
   • Klebnikov

5. Ukrainian candidate Yushchenko falls ill; dioxin poisoning later confirmed

   Sep 5, 2004Labels: Viktor Yushchenko

   • RFE RL
   • Guardian

6. Journalist Anna Politkovskaya shot dead at her home

   Oct 7, 2006Labels: Anna Politkovskaya

   • RSF
   • Politkovskaya

7. Ex-FSB officer Alexander Litvinenko poisoned in London

   Nov 1, 2006Labels: Alexander Litvinenko

   • Britannica
   • ORNL

8. Human rights defender Natalia Estemirova abducted and murdered

   Jul 15, 2009Labels: Natalia Estemirova

   • openDemocracy
   • RightsRU

9. Businessman Alexander Perepilichnyy dies suddenly in the UK

   Nov 10, 2012Labels: Alexander Perepilichnyy

   • BBC

10. Opposition leader Boris Nemtsov assassinated near the Kremlin

    Feb 27, 2015Labels: Boris Nemtsov

    • Nemtsov
    • OSW

11. Sergei and Yulia Skripal poisoned with Novichok in Salisbury

    Mar 4, 2018Labels: Sergei Skripal, Yulia Skripal

    • Skripal
    • TIME

12. Dawn Sturgess dies after secondary Novichok exposure

    Jul 8, 2018Labels: Dawn Sturgess

    • Amesbury
    • AP