Exiled Russian journalist found dead after fall from apartment in France

An exiled Russian journalist has been found dead after falling from the window of his seventh-floor apartment in France, in a case that authorities say is being investigated despite suicide being considered the leading theory.

The 38-year-old, Yevgeny Safronov, who had been living in France for about six months, was found at the base of a residential building in Meudon, south-west of Paris, on January 7. He fell from an apartment on Rue de la Roseraie, French media reports. 

Emergency services arrived at the scene and transported him to hospital, where he later died from his injuries.

Police said a chair was found placed in front of the window, along with letters written in Russian. Investigators also reportedly discovered medication in a bin inside the apartment.

Safronov’s flatmate, who was present at the scene, was said to be in a state of shock. Due to a language barrier, he could not be questioned immediately, and police have so far been unable to determine whether he witnessed the fall.

Although suicide is currently considered the main hypothesis, the Nanterre public prosecutor’s office has opened an investigation to determine the exact cause of death and to establish further details about the victim’s background and circumstances.

French media reported that before his death, Safronov sent a farewell letter to his relatives and close contacts. In the note, written in Russian, he said he believed he had been the target of a large-scale cyberattack, claiming that his online accounts had been compromised, his Telegram account taken over, and his phones and applications cloned. He also said he believed his messages and phone calls had been intercepted and that his devices had been infected by hackers.

According to reports, Safronov had also received death threats prior to his death.

In the same message, he said he considered himself responsible for what had happened. He said he understood that he had disappointed many people and insisted that he had never worked in the interests of Russia and had never been recruited by anyone.

Safronov left Russia in 2022 after the media outlet he worked for was designated a “foreign agent” by the authorities. 

By Sabina Mammadli