The renowned Russian ballet dancer Vladimir Shklyarov has died at the age of 39 in what authorities are calling an accident.
Shklyarov died after falling from a building on Saturday, Nov. 16, a spokesperson for the Mariinsky Theatre confirmed the news to outlet Fontanka over the weekend.
Shklyarov Fell from the Fifth Floor While He was on Painkillers, Death Under Investigation
The spokesperson, Anna Kasatkina, told Russian media that Shklyarov fell from the fifth floor of a St. Petersburg building while he was on painkillers. He had been taking the medication for a back injury and had been scheduled to undergo spinal surgery on Monday.
While a federal investigation has been launched to investigate the dancer's death, "the preliminary cause" has been ruled an accident, according to the Russian news agency RIA Novosti.
"This is a huge loss not only for the theatre's staff but for all of contemporary ballet," Kasatkina said in a statement on Saturday. "Our condolences to the artist's family, loved ones, friends and all the numerous admirers of his work and talent."
Shklyarov's Criticism of Putin's Invasion of Ukraine
Shklyarov was vocal about his displeasure over Russia's invasion of Ukraine.In March 2022, after the invasion, Shklyarov took to social media to proclaim that he was in support of peace and not war, "I am against any warfare!"
"I am for the people, for the peaceful sky above the head! Politicians should be able to negotiate without shooting and killing civilians, for this they are given a tongue and a head," he added. "I want neither wars nor borders."
Who was Vladimir Shklyarov?
Shklyarov was married to fellow company dancer Maria Shklyarov, with whom he had two children. Born in Leningrad, he studied at the famed Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet, graduating in 2003.
He joined the Mariinsky Theatre the same year, becoming a principal in 2011. Over two decades with the company, he danced leads across several productions, including Giselle, Sleeping Beauty, Don Quixote, Swan Lake and Romeo and Juliet.
Shklyarov received several accolades during his lifetime, including the Léonide Massine International Prize in 2008. He was also appointed an Honoured Artist of Russia in 2020.
