Pro-Putin multi-millionaire oligarch with secret links to UK mysteriously ends up dead

Bortsov had previously been sanctioned by Britain due to his support for Vladimir Putin's war in Ukraine.

A leak in 2019 revealed that the multi-millionaire had secretly obtained "indefinite leave to remain" status in the UK.

This was despite of him being an ally of Putin and a support in the Russian parliament, the State Duma.

The MP was discovered dead at his home in the Lipetsk region of Russia with no cause given.

He was one of Putin’s richest MPs, reportedly being worth £450million with his wealth coming from the sale of a majority stake in Lebeyansky fruit juice plant to PepsiCo.

He has always denied holding British citizenship but news outlet Argumenti Nedeli reported leaked data which put him on a list of top Russian officials who had been granted residency in the UK.

Following the Russian invasion, Kyiv sentenced Bortsov to 15 years in prison in absentia for recognising the independence of the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk "people’s republics".

Lipetsk region governor Igor Artamonov said: “We will remember Nikolay Bortsov as a patriot of his country, always ready to help those who need it, a man who did not stand aside.”

At least 40 high profile figures in Russia have now died since Putin's invasion last February with many passing away in strange circumstances such as sudden "suicides".

Among the recent odd deaths is Colonel Vadim Boyko was shot five times in his office.

Despite being left injured with multiple bullets, the military chief's death was deemed as self inflicted.

Pavel Antov, also died alongside his friend Vladimir Budanov just days after Antov criticised Putin's war in Ukraine.

Budanov was found dead in his hotel room and millionaire politician Antov was found in a pool of blood having apparently fallen from the hotel.

The Kremlin has not admitted to being linked to any of the deaths.