Ukrainian Oligarch Found Dead Under 'Unexplained' Circumstances As Russian Invasion Wages On

Surrey Police has launched an investigation into the death of Ukraine-born oligarch Mikhail Watford, who made his fortune in oil and gas, after he was found lifeless in his home in an unexplained death, but under no suspicious circumstances.

Officers found his body hanged in his garage on Feb. 28, Monday, at an address in Portnall Drive, Wentworth near Virginia Water, between Slough and Woking, to the west of London. His mother, who reportedly lived in a neighboring apartment in his villa, was at home when he died.

“An ambulance was called, but the man, who was in his 60s, was sadly pronounced dead at the scene. His next of kin are aware and are being supported by specially trained officers," a spokesperson said. "An investigation into the circumstances of the death is underway, but it is not believed there are any suspicious circumstances at this time."

The demise of the 66-year-old, born Mikhail Tolstosheya during Ukraine’s Soviet-era, comes as the Russian invasion drew attention to oligarchs in the U.K. who are believed to be members of Vladimir Putin’s inner circle, The Guardian reported.

The news also follows the attempted murder of the former Russian double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter.

“His state of mind might have been affected by the situation in Ukraine,” a family friend claimed per the New York Post. “The timing of his death and the invasion of Ukraine was surely not coincidental.”

Watford, commonly known as Misha, initially settled in London and lived there with his Estonian wife, Jane, before moving to Surrey and changing his name from Tolstosheya.

He is survived by his three children: Michael, his son by his first marriage; his and Jane’s daughter, Michelle; and their youngest, Alexander.

According to the BBC, the exclusive Wentworth Estate where Watford died features three 18-hole golf courses and one 9-hole course.

Notably, former Chilean military ruler Augusto Pinochet stayed under house arrest on that estate before his extradition. The property had been home to "a host of famous athletes, musicians, actors and entertainers, financial figures and royalty.”