Russian Musician Joins Long List of Putin Critics to Die in 'Fall From Window' After Calling Russian Leader a 'Bastard'

A Russian musician who repeatedly condemned Russia's war on Ukraine died after mysteriously falling out of a window, marking the latest inexplicable death of a public figure criticizing the Russian government.

Vadim Stroykin, 58, was a St. Petersburg musician whose death has been called into question since he passed on Thursday. Russian law enforcement visited him at his home on Parfenovskaya Street as part of an investigation into Stroykin, who was allegedly donating to the Ukrainian Armed Forces, reported The Express.

Stroykin would have faced up to 20 years in prison for supporting Ukrainian forces due to it being considered "participating in a terrorist organization" in Russia.

"During the investigation, the man made an excuse to go to a different room, where he quickly opened a window and took an irreversible action," reported Telegram channel Mash na Moike, seemingly alleging his death was a suicide.

Stroykin had been an outspoken critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin's war against Ukraine, frequently taking to social media to express his beliefs. In 2022, he published a series of posts to Facebook criticizing the Russian President, even going as far as to call him a "b-----d who went to war not only against a brotherly nation but declared war on his own people."

"He was last seen alive on the 10th floor when he stepped out into the kitchen to drink water," reported Fontanka, a St. Petersburg media outlet.

Stroykin is the latest in a long list of critics of the Russian government, particularly of President Vladimir Putin, to turn up dead under mysterious circumstances, seemingly of suicide. Past victims include various heads of oil giant companies, journalists and even federal judges.