An ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin died this weekend after collapsing on a ice hockey rink.
Vladimir Mikhailovich Ananyev, was playing in a friendly ice hockey game on Saturday as a member of the government team against the Arkhangelsk Region Hockey Federation “T-54” team, when he collapsed shortly into the match, according to Newsweek. First responders could not resuscitate him.
It does not appear as though Ananyev, 66, made any contact with another player before collapsing.
Ananyev’s cause of death is unknown and officials are investigating.
Ananyev was a lawyer, regional administrator and a close ally of Putin. He supported Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and was instrumental in mobilizing men from the Arkhangelsk region in 2022.
