Sputnik V vaccine creator strangled to death in his Moscow apartment

Top Russian scientist Andrey Botikov, 48, who created the Sputnik V vaccine, is said to have been killed with a belt after an argument with an intruder at his house. According to Russian media, his body was discovered at his residence in Moscow on Thursday. He had stab wounds and abrasions all over his body as well as strangle signs on his neck. 

A murder investigation has now been launched by the Investigative Committee of Russia (ICR). A 29-year-old man has been taken into custody and accused of murdering the top virologist following a dispute over money. The suspect, identified as "Alexei Z," was imprisoned for ten years on allegations of offering sexual services, according to Russian media.

In a statement, the ICR didn't name Botikov but said investigators had identified and located a suspect "in the shortest possible time". "During the interrogation, he admitted his guilt, that he was charged with, the ICR said. "Previously, the defendant was prosecuted for committing a serious crime."

Since 2014, Botikov has been a virologist at the Gamaleya National Research Institute, where he contributed to the development of Russia’s Sputnik V Covid vaccine. 

Russian President Vladimir Putin hailed the vaccination for having a 91 per cent clinical trial efficacy rate, which is significantly greater than that of existing Covid vaccines. Botikov was honoured by Putin with the Order of Merit for the Fatherland award in 2021 for his work. 

Since the war started between Russia and Ukraine, Botikov's death is the most recent enigma to strike a member of Russia's top scientific and political elite.