Another death of a top manager in Russia: chairman of Uralkali's Board of Directors died "suddenly"

On Tuesday, August 12, it became known that Dmitry Osipov, the chairman of the board of directors of Russia's Uralkali, the world's largest potash producer, had died. Osipov died at the age of 59, the press service of Uralchem (which controls Uralkali) reported.

The company called Osipov's death sudden, without specifying the cause.

Mr. Osipov was CEO of Uralkali from 2013 to 2020, then headed VSMPO-Avisma, a titanium producer, and returned to Uralkali in 2023.

He has also held various management positions at Khimprom, Sibur-Khimprom, and the Kirovo-Chepetsk Chemical Plant.

Osipov's death was the second in a week among top managers and owners of large businesses. The day before mikhail Kenin, the founder and major shareholder of Samolet Group, dies – the largest developer in Russia. The cause of his death is also unknown.

Over the past three and a half years, at least 17 top managers of large companies have died under mysterious circumstances, notes The Moscow Times.

In January 2022, 60-year-old Leonid Shulman was found dead in Russia, and in February, 61-year-old Alexander Tyulyakov was found dead in Russia. Both held high positions in the Gazprom structure and allegedly committed suicide, leaving suicide notes.

In April of the same year, former Gazprombank Vice President Vladislav Aveyev, his daughter and wife were found dead in Moscow. According to the investigation, Aveyev first shot his family and then killed himself.

A similar case occurred in Spain, where former Novatek top executive Sergei Protosenya, his wife and daughter were found dead. The police also considered the version that Protosena could have killed his wife and daughter and then committed suicide.

In July, in the suburbs of St. Petersburg yuriy Voronov was found shot dead, head of the Astra Shipping transportation organization, which was engaged in Arctic contracts for Gazprom.

A few months after these deaths in Moscow, he fell out of a window, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Lukoil died Ravil Maganov.

In early July 2025, in Moscow fell out of the window andrey Badalov, a top manager of Transneft, fell to his death.