Panic in Kremlin as top general mysteriously dies - sparking fears of renewed Putin purge

 A senior Russian military commander has suddenly dropped dead on Christmas Day in reportedly suspicious circumstances. Colonel-General Yuri Sadovenko, 56, was a deputy defence minister before he was dismissed from his office in a brutal Kremlin clear-out.

His untimely death was reported briefly by Russian state media on Boxing Day, who said he had snuffed it due to "heart disease", and provided no further details. The deceased had reportedly shown no signs of ill health leading up to his demise, making his sudden death all the more surprising and troubling. The general had been a close confidante of the former Defence Minister Sergey Shoigu, who is now the Secretary of Russia's Security Council.

He acted as Shoigu's faithful "gatekeeper" and was said to be privy to many "secrets" at the ministry.

However, his Kremlin career ended in May 2024, after his former boss was fired from his ministerial post in a ruthless purge of the ministry.

His demise is just the latest in a series of mysterious and sudden deaths among Russia's gilded elite and will no doubt send shivers down the spines of top Kremlin officials.

It comes following the confirmation this week of the death of Lt-Col Stanislav Orlov, 44. Nicknamed the "Spaniard", he commanded Putin's n

otorious football hooligan battalion that fought in Ukraine, including in hotspots such as Bakhmut.

Rumours are swirling in Moscow that the Colonel was killed by Russian special services while he was in his house in occupied Crimea.

The independent Russian media channel Astra showed CCTV footage taken near the officer's house that apparently showed vans with secret service agents arriving at his home.

Shortly afterwards, flashes of light can be seen illuminating the darkness - presumably from gunshots.

Earlier this year, Lt-Col Buvaysar Saitiev, 49 - a former Putin MP and Olympic wrestling legend - died after plunging from a window in Moscow.

His widow said she believed the fall was an accident, though reports later indicated he suffered cardiac arrest.

In July, Putin's transport minister, Roman Starovoit, 53, was found dead just hours after being fired. His death was officially ruled a suicide, but independent outlet SOTA later claimed "fresh traces of beatings were found" on his body.