Russian oil boss who criticised Ukraine war dies

The chairman of Russia's second-largest oil producer has died after falling from a hospital window in Moscow, according to reports in the country.

Ravil Maganov, who was also a vice president at Lukoil, had openly criticised the war in Ukraine, Sky News reports.

The 67-year-old was chair of the company's board which called for the "soonest termination of the armed conflict" and expressed "sincere empathy for all victims" in March.

The statement continued: "We strongly support a lasting ceasefire and a settlement of problems through serious negotiations and diplomacy."

Mr Maganov died after falling from a sixth-floor window at the Central Clinical Hospital this morning, according to RBC News in Russia.

Other Russian media outlets and the Reuters news agency, citing unnamed sources, have also said Mr Maganov fell from a window.

The hospital, reportedly known as the "Kremlin Clinic" for its treatment of patients from Russia's political and business elite, confirmed the death to Russia's state-run news agency RIA Novosti without disclosing the circumstances.

It is the same hospital where former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev died on Tuesday.

Mr Maganov is the second top Lukoil executive to die in mysterious circumstances in recent months.

Russian police opened a criminal case after the death of former Lukoil executive Alexander Subbotin in early May, The Moscow Times reports.

Mr Maganov had worked at Lukoil, Russia's biggest privately held oil producer, since 1993 and had overseen its refining, production and exploration operations.

He became chairman in 2020.

Mr Maganov was a close associate of one of the company's founders Vagit Alekperov, a former Soviet deputy oil minister, who was sanctioned by Britain after Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

His brother Nail is the head of mid-sized Russian oil producer Tatneft.

No immediate comment was available from Lukoil.