One of Vladimir Putin's millionaires has died. Mikhail Smirnov died in a motorcycle accident near St. Petersburg.

Mihail Smirnov, a Russian billionaire active in the oil products export sector, died in a motorcycle accident on May 20, near St. Petersburg. At the wheel of a 'Triumph' motorcycle, Smirnov lost control of the vehicle and collided with a 'Haval' car, dying before the ambulance arrived. Born on June 17, 1972, Smirnov was a co-owner of the BTC company, specialized in the export of oil products. In 2024, he owned half of Neva Oil, valued at 7.79 billion rubles, according to the publication Delovoi Petersburg. Throughout his career, he held various positions in the financial and entrepreneurial fields, engaging in multiple businesses. The police are investigating the circumstances of the accident, which is part of a wave of unusual deaths among business people in Russia, referred to as the 'Russian sudden death syndrome.'