Former Kukryniksy bassist Dmitry Oganyan dies at 45 in St. Petersburg
Russian rock musician Dmitry Oganyan has died in St. Petersburg after his body was found in a pond alongside a severed hand and an ax on the bank; police found no signs of foul play.
Dmitry Oganyan, former bassist of the Russian rock band Kukryniksy, has died in St. Petersburg at the age of 45. His body was discovered in a pond near Michmanskaya Street, with his clothes, shoes, an ax and a severed hand left on the bank. It is believed Oganyan cut off his own hand before entering the water. Investigators found no evidence pointing to a crime.
The musician suffered from a skin condition that caused cracking on his hands, forcing him to wear special finger guards while performing. A friend, Anatoly Sklyarenko, told the St. Petersburg outlet Fontanka that bending his fingers would immediately split the skin, and that the problem had persisted for many years. Sklyarenko said the condition had visibly hampered Oganyan's playing over roughly the past year.
Despite his illness, Oganyan had never spoken of suicide, according to his brother Tigran, who spoke to a Telegram channel. Sklyarenko also said the musician did not appear unhappy, describing him as upbeat, cheerful and kind even as his ability to play suffered. Oganyan is survived by his wife and two young children, though some reports cite three.
Kukryniksy was formed in 1997 by Alexei Gorshenev, younger brother of the late Korol i Shut frontman Mikhail Gorshenev. Oganyan joined the band in 2001 and remained until it disbanded in 2018. He went on to play with Brigadny Podryad and XSELEN, performing with the latter as recently as February 2026.
