Colonel-General Yuri Sadovenko, described as Vladimir Putin’s “keeper of secrets,” died of heart disease on Christmas Day in Moscow at the age of 56. His death occurred less than two years after he was dismissed from his role as deputy defense minister in May 2024, as part of a significant reshuffle within the Kremlin that also saw former Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu removed from his post. Sadovenko had served as Shoigu's "gatekeeper" and was later sanctioned by Western nations. There were reportedly no prior signs of ill health before his sudden demise.
Sadovenko's personal life was previously marked by scandal when his wife reportedly left him for another deputy defense minister, Timur Ivanov. Ivanov himself was arrested in April 2024 on embezzlement and money laundering charges, receiving a 13-year prison sentence in July 2025. Sadovenko's death adds to a pattern of numerous Russian government officials who have died under sudden or suspicious circumstances since the start of the Russia-Ukraine war in February 2022. Notable among these is Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of the Wagner mercenary group, who died in a plane crash in August 2023, shortly after leading an insurrection against Putin. Other officials, including Transport Minister Roman Starovoit and Andrei Korneichuk, have also died suddenly, with their deaths attributed to suicide and a heart attack, respectively. Ukraine has also been implicated in the assassinations of several Russian military figures behind enemy lines.
