Russian scientist behind Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine 'strangled' to death
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Moscow: Russian police started a probe after the scientist who worked behind developing Russia’s covid vaccine was found dead in his apartment on Friday.
The 47-year-old virologist Andrey Botikov worked alongside 18 scientists on the Sputnik V vaccine at the Gamaleya National Research Center.
Russia’s vaccine was one of the first to come out in 2020 during the peak of Covid situation.
Local newspapers reported that Andrey Botikov was found strangled by a belt at his home in Rogov Street on March 2.
The scientist survived a previous attack when an intruder had broken into his home.
The Investigative Committee of Russia (ICR) has zeroed in on a 29-year-old man suspecting him of killing the scientist over a disagreement.
Russian media revealed that the suspect's name is Alexei Z who spent previously 10 years in jail for providing sex services.
ICR's stated that the agency has initiated a criminal investigation and that the assailant was nabbed "in the shortest possible time".
"During the interrogation, he admitted his guilt, he was charged. Previously, the defendant was prosecuted for committing a serious crime," ICR said in a statement.
The celebrated scientist Botikov was honoured with the Order of Merit for the Fatherland for his work on the vaccine.
Botikov was previously a senior scientist at the Russian State Collection of Viruses D.I. Ivanovsky Institute of Virology.
The scientist’s death follows the suicide of Russian General Vladimir Makarov at his country home last month.
It also comes in the backdrop of a Russian business man Pavel Antov falling to death out of a hotel window while staying in India.
