"For more than two weeks, Syanislav Orlov's death, first rumored online on 9 Dec, was the subject of intense speculation and debate. Kremlin-linked Russian news websites and independent outlets soon reported that Orlov was not killed on the battlefield in Ukraine, but was ambushed and shot at his home in Russian-annexed Crimea by Moscow's own security services.

On Monday, Astra, an anti-war outlet operating in exile, published CCTV footage that it said showed the moments before Orlov was killed, with a group of armed Russian servicemen arriving outside his house, followed by the sound of gunshots. Astra reported that an ambulance only arrived to collect Orlov's body six hours later.

Analysts say Orlov's death reflects a broader, increasingly visible crackdown by the Kremlin on renegade ultranationalist figures and semi-autonomous armed groups as a result of the Wagner mutiny."

An international arrest warrant issued by the ICC for war crimes remains active for Russia President Vladimir Putin. An indictment is merely an allegation. Mr. Putin is presumed innocent until proven guilty in an international tribunal to be held for him at the Hague at a future date.