Russian commander found dead sparking conflicting theories about his real cause of death
More under this adAnother prominent Russian has died and there is uncertainty surrounding his cause of death.
Russian battalion commander, Dmitry Lisitsky, was found dead on 26 March 2023 under mysterious circumstances at his home, sparking speculation about his cause of death.
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Who was Dmitry Lisitsky?
Lisitsky was the Commander of the 1st Airborne Assault Battalion of the 247th Guards Air Assault Regiment of the Russian Army. He was thought to be one of the organisers of the notorious 'Ilovaisk cauldron', which was the Russian slaughter of hundreds of retreating Ukrainian troops during the Donbas conflict in 2014.
More under this adMore under this adThe Ukrainian media frequently describe the battle of Ilovaisk as one of the worst in Ukrainian history. The Russian military has denied its involvement in the operation. In 2015, Lisitsky was awarded a Hero of Russia title, but the official reason for the award was not disclosed to the public.
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How did Lisitsky die?
There is disagreement over how Lisitsky died. Some claim he died by suicide, while others report that he was killed by the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
The Ukrainian journalist Yury Butusov claimed Lisitsky was 'liquidated' by Ukrainian soldiers avenging the Ilovaisk massacre.
More under this adMore under this adMeanwhile, Russian journalist Ksenia Sobchak and the Telegram news channel Baza both wrote that Lisitsky died by suicide after shooting himself. His body was allegedly found with a gunshot wound in his Stavropol apartment.
Sobchak claimed:
His colleagues are saying that Lisitsky had lately been depressed and talked about suicide, supposedly because of the complaints about his unlawful actions with respect to the personnel.More under this adMore under this ad
Finally, Alexander Tenkov, a local official in the Stavropol region, confirmedLisitsky’s deathto Bazabut did not specify the cause.
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Meduza: Decorated Russian battalion commander dies, prompting speculation about Ukrainian ‘revenge’ for Ilovaisk massacre or possible suicide
More under this adMore under this adUkrainska Pravda: 'One of Ilovaisk tragedy organisers, Russian commander Lisitsky dies'