French police confirmed the journalist had fallen from a window - but said an investigation has been opened to establish the exact circumstances of his death. Mr Safronov worked for Open Media, an outlet founded by Kremlin critic Mikhail Khodorkovsky, until the end of 2024. He fled Russia in 2021, after Open Media was designated a "foreign agent" by Russian authorities - a label widely criticised as a tool used to silence independent journalism. According to Le Figaro, investigators found a chair next to the window inside the flat and a stash of medication in the bin. Article continues belowPolice sources told the newspaper that letters written in Russian were also discovered at the scene.

Source: Daily Mirror January 09, 2026 01:32 UTC