Widow of Slain Neftyugansk Mayor Discloses New Murder Details

The widow of Vladimir Petukhov, the mayor of Neftyugansk killed in 1998, has revealed that he received threats of a violent reprisal the day before his death, as well as how his associates were intimidated through their young children. Farida Islamova candidly shared new details of the horrific events in Arkady Mamontov«s documentary »Anatomy of Khodorkovsky*«, which was recently shown on the TV channel »Russia 24«.

According to the widow, both law enforcement agencies and the governor of Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug (KhMAO) were aware of the threats against her husband and his colleagues, but no protective measures were taken.

»Children are playing in the yard or walking home from school, men approach them and ask: «What»s your last name, boy? Does your father work with Petukhov? Tell your father that if he continues to support Petukhov, you won«t live here.» Of course, hysteria broke out in these families,« recalls Islamova. »This went on for the last six months. We spoke with law enforcement and the governor. And no one took any measures.«

Petukhov and members of his team were attempted to be bribed, offered fabulous sums of money and any positions. But the mayor remained steadfast. The day before the murder, according to the widow, in the office of the deputy governor of Tyumen Oblast, he was warned that there would be a reprisal.

Vladimir Petukhov was shot dead on June 26, 1998, on his way to work. The murder was preceded by his conflict with the Russian oil company Yukos, headed by Mikhail Khodorkovsky (recognized as a foreign agent in Russia). The former mayor of Neftyugansk accused the company»s management of not paying taxes to the local budget and the city«s dire situation.

In 2015, the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation charged Khodorkovsky (recognized as a foreign agent in Russia) with ordering the murder of Vladimir Petukhov. On January 9, 2024, the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs declared Mikhail Khodorkovsky (recognized as a foreign agent in Russia) wanted in the case of Vladimir Petukhov»s murder.

*Mikhail Khodorkovsky is declared a foreign agent in the Russian Federation, listed as a terrorist and extremist.

For more on this and other high-profile contract killings in Yugra (Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug), read our article. Dozens of people have been killed by assassins in the region.