Russian opposition figure Sergei Vlasenko found dead in Warsaw
A former Russian politician who fled to Poland after the invasion of Ukraine, Sergei Vlasenko, was found dead in his Warsaw apartment. Authorities say there is currently no evidence of third-party involvement, though the investigation continues.
Sergei Vlasenko, a former Russian politician linked to the opposition group "Congress of People's Deputies," has been found dead in his apartment in Warsaw, Poland. He was reportedly 71 years old at the time of his death.
A spokesperson for the Warsaw district prosecutor's office said an autopsy was scheduled for Wednesday afternoon, with toxicology tests also to be carried out. Vlasenko's medical records were found in his apartment. Polish officials stated that, for now, nothing indicates third-party involvement in his death, though the investigation is ongoing.
Who was Vlasenko
Publicly available information about Vlasenko is fairly limited, as he was not a widely known dissident. According to the independent Russian outlet SOTA, he served as a local deputy in Russia's Far East in the 1980s before later moving to the Black Sea resort city of Anapa.
After Russia's renewed invasion of Ukraine, Vlasenko joined the "Congress of People's Deputies," a group made up of former Russian political representatives that positions itself as a potential government-in-exile. He was also involved in Russia's Opposition Forum in support of Ukraine.
In Russia, Vlasenko was publicly accused of spreading false information about the Russian military. He subsequently left Russia for Poland on a tourist visa, where he was granted political asylum.
The "Congress of People's Deputies" was established in Poland in 2022 after Russia's invasion began. Russian authorities consider former State Duma deputy Ilya Ponomaryov its leader; he was convicted in absentia in Russia for spreading "false information" and justifying terrorism. Russian authorities have designated the organization as undesirable, effectively banning it.
