Moscow - A high-ranking Russian defence official has died after falling from a window of a building in St Petersburg, the “Daily Mail” reported.
Marina Yankina, who headed the financial support department of the Russian Ministry of Defence for the Eastern Military District was found by a passer-by at the entrance of a house on Zamshina Street in St Petersburg.
Yankina is believed to have fallen about 48 metres to her death. She was a key figure in the funding of Russia's military offensive in Ukraine, according to the news report.
The Russian Investigative Committee and the press service of the Western Military District “Fontanka” have confirmed her death and have started an investigation into her mysterious fall, the “Daily Mail” reported.
Her personal belongings were found on the 16th floor of the building. Citing media outlet “Mash on Moika”, the news report said that Yankina had called her ex-husband before her death.
"She told him about what she was going to do and where she would leave things – and also asked to call the police. A few minutes after the call, she was found dead," “Mash on Moika”, reported.
Prior to joining the Western Military region, Yankina served in the Federal Tax Service and also worked as the Deputy Chairman of the Property Relations Committee of St Petersburg. She is believed to have been at the centre of efforts to strengthen funding for the war started by Russia on February 24.
Yankina is the latest of many Russians to have plunged to their deaths during the war between Russia and Ukraine. Her death comes days after Major General Vladimir Makarov, a Russian general, who was recently fired by President Vladimir Putin, was found dead in a suspected suicide, according to the news report.
On December 26, Pavel Antonov, the deputy of the Russian Duma died in India after falling out of a hotel window, the news report stated.
On December 25, the Daily Mail reported that the former chief of Russian Ground Forces Aleksey Maslov died in hospital while Aleksandr Buzakov who served as the head of Russia's “admiralty shipyards” for a decade died on December 24.
Asian News International (ANI)