He was a celebrated virologist in Russia, played a key role in developing the corona vaccine Sputnik V – and has now been murdered. Andrei Botikov was found dead in his Moscow apartment.
According to the Russian newspaper “ Kommersant“ callboy Alexej Zmanowski came to the apartment of the 48-year-old scientist on the evening of March 1. The 29-year-old and his 19-year-old client got into an argument, probably after sex, which is said to have been about money. In the course of this, the prostitute choked Botikow. According to investigators, he grabbed his neck with his left hand and pressed his right forearm on Botikow’s neck until he could no longer hear any signs of life. Then he ended his murder with a knife.
Investigators are in the virologist’s apartment
The perpetrator fled the scene, but his home was quickly located and the suspected killer arrested. Alexej Zmanowski confessed to the crime and, after his conviction, will spend at least the next 15 years in prison.
The prostitute will go to jail for many years
Russia had developed its corona vaccine Sputnik V very quickly. For this, Botnikov was awarded an Order of Merit by Kremlin despot Vladimir Putin. But the effectiveness of Sputnik V has not been properly proven to this day, which is why significantly fewer Russians than Europeans have been vaccinated.
