Initial online reports indicated that the body of Vladimir Feshchenko, a master of sports in kettlebell lifting, was found in Moscow on the night of January 13. The news spread quickly through online channels as investigators began gathering details and verifying accounts surrounding the incident.
It was reported that the athlete worked in the military counterintelligence division and was shot in the head. The exact circumstances are still being clarified as investigators collect evidence at the scene and pursue leads that may explain what happened that night.
Officials located the body on Olkhovaya Street in central Moscow, a detail that appears in several early summaries. Local sources have suggested this could correspond to Olkhovskaya Street, with notes pointing to the proximity of a building tied to the defense sector. The site described by officials aligns with information circulating about a key area in the capital where security facilities are situated.
The motive under consideration points to a domestic conflict involving a military professional. One line of inquiry examines negligence or an argument turning tragic, with investigators exploring whether a confrontation between two men led to the fatal shooting. A suspect has been detained and a criminal case has been opened. Security service officers and investigators continue their work at the site as the inquiry progresses.
Big Shock
Vladimir Feshchenko was born in 1998 in Krasnozavodsk, a town in the Moscow region. He came from a family that valued sport, with his father instilling a lifelong love of lifting in him. He pursued kettlebell lifting at a high level, earning recognition and competing on the European stage with notable success. His achievements include European championship honors and national titles that marked him as one of the leading figures in his discipline.
In his junior years he claimed victories at both the Russian and European junior championships, and he won the junior and adult national championships in 2017. In recent seasons, his presence at the sport’s highest levels had diminished, and the federation indicated that he had not been part of the national team for a considerable period. While observers noted his past prominence, there was no recent confirmation of ongoing participation at the all-Russian level.
Officials stated they know the athlete but emphasized that he had not competed with the national team in recent years. They cautioned that this information could not be confirmed as a formal update and explained that the matter relied on official federation records, which had not been publicly updated at that moment. The reports circulating online were not treated as authoritative confirmations by the federation itself at the time of reporting.
Details of the deceased’s personal life were not publicly disclosed. It was noted that he left behind a young daughter. The loss was mourned by the kettlebell community and by those who remembered his earlier accomplishments on the podium.
Mark Shutoy, who coached Feshchenko in his youth, spoke about the tragedy with a mix of admiration and sorrow. He recalled the athlete’s significant sporting milestones and acknowledged the impact of the loss on those who followed his career. While recognizing the titles he earned, including the international master of sports recognition and the national champion title, he stressed that the news was a profound shock to him personally and to many in the sport who had watched Feshchenko’s journey unfold.