Putin Ally Dies Suddenly after Collapsing on Ice Hockey Rink

An ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin collapsed and died during a friendly ice hockey game over the weekend.

Vladimir Mikhailovich Ananyev, a 66-year old lawyer and regional administrator, most recently was working in the prosecutor's office of the Arkhangelsk region as the head of compliance with federal legislation. He also worked in draft mobilization for Arkhangelsk in 2022.

Why It Matters

Video footage of the hockey match on March 29 shows Ananyev sliding and then collapsing on the ice. It does not appear as though he experienced a violent collision or that anyone attempted to harm the official on the ice prior to his fall.

It is unknown at this time whether Ananyev had a heart attack as his death is still under investigation. According to a study from the North American Journal of Sports Physical Therapy, although heart attacks are rare in ice hockey, the high intensity nature of the sport can make it dangerous for people with underlying heart conditions.

Although Putin's enemies have been known to fall mysteriously out of windows, and being poisoned abroad, Ananyev was a member of the government and a supporter of the war in Ukraine.

What To Know

66-year-old Ananyev was playing a friendly game of ice hockey as part of the "AO Government" team against the Arkhangelsk Region Hockey Federation "T-54" team, before collapsing shortly into the match.

Footage of the incident shows him reaching out with his stick before falling face-first on the ice. The match stopped immediately and ambulances were called to the scene. However, he could not be resuscitated.

Ananyev was a Putin supporter, and instrumental in mobilizing men for the war in Ukraine from his northern region of Arkhangelsk.

In a speech given in 2022 to men being sent to Ukraine, Ananyev said: "Today we are seeing off another group of our fighters to serve in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. You are worthy representatives of the Pomor land, real soldiers. You will have to solve difficult tasks to protect our great homeland - Russia, and its citizens. We are sure that you will cope with these tasks with dignity. Dear men, we believe in you. We wish you good luck and we will be waiting for you. Bon voyage!"

Russia does not release official figures of troop deaths in Ukraine, so it is unknown at this time how many men from Ananyev's region specifically lost their lives in Ukraine. However, per BBC and Mediazona analysis, at least 100,000 Russians who have died fighting in Ukraine since the war broke out in 2022 have been identified, with over 1000 coming from Arkhangelsk region.

According to the BBC, on average at least 100 Russian volunteer soldiers die per week in Ukraine. Other soldiers who are fighting for Russia are contract soldiers, members of private military companies, convicts, and already mobilized soldiers.

What Happens Next

According to the Telegram account, SHOT, experts are working on determining Ananyev's cause of death.

There is no official statement from the Arkhangelsk authorities yet on Ananyev's passing.