Aleksey Avramenko, a prominent Belarusian Minister, and close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, has passed away unexpectedly at the age of 47. The state news agency Belta has confirmed Avramenko’s death, but the cause remains unknown. This tragic event adds to a series of dubious deaths among Putin’s associates, causing speculation and worry among observers.

In the past year, more than 40 influential Russian figures, including politicians, oligarchs, and military officials, have died under strange and perplexing circumstances. Avramenko’s demise closely follows a series of sanctions imposed on him related to the controversial diversion of a plane carrying opposition journalist Roman Pratasevich in 2021. Furthermore, his passing occurs months after the equally mysterious death of Belarusian foreign minister Vladimir Makei, who had previously criticized Putin’s use of Belarus for the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

The fate of Yevgeny Prigozhin, Putin’s exiled mercenary chief, who recently sought refuge in Belarus following a failed coup against Moscow, now raises concerns. British MP Tobias Ellwood cautions Prigozhin to remain vigilant, noting that “Putin takes care of any dissenting voices himself – he is cunning and always plotting.”

The alarming series of unusual deaths raises serious questions and concerns about the safety of political figures in the region.