Putin has repeatedly eliminated his opponents on home soil. These deaths have often been staged as accidents (e.g., falling out of a high-rise window). But the prevalence of such accidents suggests something else is going on. And this weekend, 60 Minutes ran its investigation of the spread of “mysterious Russian death syndrome” outside Russian borders, focusing on the case of Maxim Kuzminov, a Russian helicopter pilot who defected to Ukraine. The question Cecilia Vega is asking is alarming: “Is Russia pursuing Putin foes abroad, going after critics and defectors on Western soil?”
A taste from the transcript:
The expression ‘mysterious Russian death syndrome’ is a grim turn of phrase used to describe the falls from top floor windows, poisonings and unsolved shootings of President Vladimir Putin’s enemies. Since the invasion of Ukraine two years ago, he has used these methods to go after more of his critics on Western soil. Last month, the head of Britain’s domestic spy agency – MI5 – said Russia is on a “sustained mission to generate mayhem on British and European streets” as part of what U.S. intelligence officials call Putin’s war on the west. Tonight, evidence of this – in one of the most brazen assassinations ever committed outside of Russia.
Villajoyosa is a seaside resort town on Spain’s Mediterranean coast. Many of the residents who live there year-round — are from Russia and Ukraine.Â
But this past February the town whose name translates to joyful village was the scene of a horrific murder that made international headlines. Inside a parking garage the victim’s body was discovered riddled with bullet holes. It looked like a mafia-style contract killing.
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