Top VTB Banker Murdered over Timber?
In what was initially called an apparent suicide, a senior level banker of the powerful state-owned financial group VTB was found dead in a pool outside his luxury country home in the Odintsovo District. Oleg Zhukovsky, who held the title of corporate managing director at VTB and was in charge of considerably large timber leasing deals, reportedly had his home broken into by unknown individuals, was tortured, possibly suffocated with a plastic bag, and left behind a suicide note which read “I am very tired of life. It is nobody’s fault.” Despite having been found drowned with both his hands and feet bound, VTB board member Vasily Titov surprisingly commented “Police officials are doing their work. We have no evidence of murder.” (though it’s unlikely this quote was taken in context).