After incident in hotel – Putinist and critic of Pugacheva dies in Russia

In the city of Neryungri, music journalist and TV presenter Sergei Sosedov, 58, has died. According to preliminary data, he stumbled and fell down a staircase in a hotel, sustaining a severe traumatic brain injury. Doctors were unable to save him. Sosedov was known for his support of the Russian authorities and harsh criticism of artists who left the country, including Alla Pugacheva.

In the city of Neryungri (Yakutia), renowned music journalist, critic, and TV presenter Sergei Sosedov has died. He was 58 years old. His colleague from NTV, Vadim Takmenev, announced his death. According to preliminary information, Sosedov stumbled and fell down a staircase in a hotel, sustaining a severe traumatic brain injury. He was taken to a hospital, where doctors performed emergency surgery but could not save him due to brain swelling. The deceased's mother noted that her son had not previously complained of serious health issues. The press is also discussing a version involving a blood clot due to a long flight, but there is no official confirmation. Sosedov was born in Moscow in 1968 and graduated from the Faculty of Journalism at Moscow State University. He gained widespread fame in the mid-1990s as a participant in the project "Sharks of the Pen." Later, he served as a judge and expert on music shows on NTV, and from 2010 to 2015, he was a jury member on the Ukrainian show "X-Factor." In recent years, he openly supported the policies of the Russian authorities, endorsed the annexation of Crimea, and used pro-government rhetoric. Particular attention was drawn to his sharp attacks on artists who left the country after the start of the war in Ukraine: he criticized Maxim Galkin, Chulpan Khamatova, and Alla Pugacheva, calling her a "mediocre singer."