New Case in Moscow: Another FSB General Found Dead

Igor Laptev: Circumstances of the Death of Retired FSB Major General

According to Рубрика — Суспільство: On August 20, the body of 83-year-old Igor Laptev, a retired major general of the FSB, was discovered in his apartment in Moscow. According to preliminary information, he shot himself in the head. Laptev served for many years in the KGB of the USSR, dealing with information security issues and participated in combat operations in Afghanistan. In the late 1990s, he was the Deputy Minister of Taxes and Levies of the Russian Federation.

After completing his career in the security agencies, Laptev headed the Board of Directors of the company 'Informtehnika i Svyaz' since 1998. This company develops and produces communication systems for federal authorities and security agencies, among its clients are the FSB, FSO, Ministry of Defense, and Ministry of Internal Affairs. There have been no reports regarding a suicide note or motives for the incident, and official comments from Russian law enforcement are absent.

Series of Suicides Among Retired Generals

The case of Laptev adds to the list of tragic deaths of high-ranking retirees, which independent publications link to the period after the onset of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The Moscow Times draws attention to the increased cases of suicides among former generals of the security forces. Such incidents usually do not receive detailed coverage in the official Russian agenda. The most notable cases appear as follows:

• In July 2022, the body of 76-year-old retired major general of the FSB, Yevgeny Lobachev, was found in the stairwell of one of the buildings in Moscow. The official cause of his death was also named suicide.
• About a month earlier, a 90-year-old retired major general of the SVR, Lev Soltskov, was found dead in his Moscow apartment. A service pistol was lying next to him.
• In February 2023, a 72-year-old major general of police, Vladimir Makarov, who previously held the position of deputy head of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs for combating extremism, took his own life in the Moscow region.
• In May 2026, 87-year-old Colonel General Stanislav Petrov, who once headed the troops for radiation, chemical, and biological protection, died. Suicide was also mentioned among the possible causes of his death.

Many media outlets report the death of Igor Laptev, referring to the Russian publication 'MK'. It is noted that the 83-year-old general committed suicide in his apartment. This tragedy fits into a broader picture of the difficult and sometimes tragic fates of retired leaders of security agencies in today's Russia.

The events surrounding the suicides of retired generals compel us to reflect on the psychological and social issues faced by veterans. (Source: 'MK')

Following the onset of hostilities in Ukraine and changes in state policy, many former military personnel and security service members find themselves in a severe emotional state, which sometimes drives them to extreme decisions. Every such case serves as a reminder of the need for more attentive support and rehabilitation for those who dedicated years to serving in the security agencies, especially in light of the current social and political challenges.