Russian Virologist Who Helped Develop Sputnik V Covid-19 Vaccine Found Dead In Moscow Apartment

Moscow: A Russian virologist who helped develop Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccine was found dead in his apartment in Moscow, the Russian Media has reported.

Andrey Botikov, a prominent health scientist worked as a senior researcher at the Gamaleya National Research Center for Ecology and Mathematics. His death is being investigated as a murder and is being investigated, said Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation.

“According to the investigation, on March 2, 2023, in an apartment building located on Rogova Street in Moscow, a 29-year-old young man, during an argument, strangled the 47-year-old owner of the apartment with a belt and fled the scene,” the committee said in a statement on Friday.

A suspect was arrested shortly after Botikov’s body was found, the federal investigative agency said in the statement. “In the shortest possible time, the location of the attacker was established. During the interrogation, he admitted his guilt, he was charged. Previously, the defendant was prosecuted for committing a serious crime.”

Russian media has identified the suspect as “Alexei Z,” a former convict who spent 10 years in prison on charges of providing sex services. Local media reports, including from Russia’s Mash outlet, said that the incident appeared to have been the result of a money dispute between the scientist and the suspect.