Ilia Traber cleared of murder charges in Russia

Russian authorities have dropped all murder charges against prominent Saint Petersburg businessman Ilia Traber and closed the investigation into his case. Traber, 75, had been detained in June in connection with the 2020 fatal shooting of businessman and politician Aleksandr Petrov.

Traber had previously been released from pre-trial detention due to deteriorating health. According to reports, the criminal proceedings were terminated following confirmed evidence of his lack of involvement in the murder of Petrov, who was the father of Formula 1 driver Vitaly Petrov.

A significant figure in the Saint Petersburg business community for decades, Traber holds extensive investments in ports, logistics, and oil terminals. His career rose to prominence in the 1990s following the collapse of the Soviet Union. While the Kremlin has denied close business ties between Traber and President Vladimir Putin, various investigations have noted their overlapping history in Saint Petersburg during the 1990s.