Outspoken Putin critic found dead in hotel in the Algarve

Pavlo Sadokha was found dead on Sunday in the Algarve (Picture: Expresso)

Prosecutors in Portugal have opened an inquiry into the death of a Ukrainian activist who was a vocal Vladimir Putin critic.

Pavlo Sadokha,56,was found dead on Sunday in Quarteira,near the tourist resort of Vilamoura,while on a work trip.

Police called to the scene did not detect any evidence of a crime,and it was later found that he had a history of heart issues.

But overnight,it emerged that Portugal’s Public Prosecution Service opened a probe to rule out the involvement of third parties in Sadokha’s death.

Friends and relatives told respected Portuguese daily Correio da Manha that his health was ‘perfectly under control’,and he had undergone recent tests.

Mykola Shymonyak,Vice-President of the association Sadokha presided over at the time of his death,told the newspaper they had pressed for a full autopsy ‘to examine all the possibilities’.

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Start your day informed with Metro's News Updates newsletter or get Breaking News alerts the moment it happens.‘Everyone wants to do everything possible to make sure doubts are clarified,’ he said. ‘Our objective is that all the possible hypotheses are fully investigated. It’s a duty we have towards our compatriot.’The initial autopsy has already taken place,but it will be around three or four weeks before the results of toxicology tests due to be carried out on his blood and tissue samples at a specialist lab will be known.Sadokha had lived in Portugal for more than two decades. The Ukrainian World Congress issued a statement,mourning his passing.”Pavlo dedicated decades of his life to Ukraine and to serving the Ukrainian community in Portugal,’ they said.‘He was a key member of the UWC leadership team and was instrumental in establishing the Ukrainian Youth Association (CYM) in Portugal. For many years,he was one of the strongest voices for Ukrainians in Portugal.‘He helped organise Euromaidan solidarity actions in Portugal in 2013-2014 and,following Russia’s aggression against Ukraine,organised rallies,appeals to Portuguese government officials and support for Ukraine’s defenders.’Pavlo spoke out against Vladimir Putin throughout his life (Picture: Sputnik)UWC President Paul Grod added: ‘Pavlo was a highly regarded Ukrainian community leader in Portugal and on the world stage. He was a close friend and someone I could always count on.‘He cared deeply and dedicated his life to serving Ukraine and its people around the world. This is a massive loss,and he will be missed deeply. May his memory be eternal.’In June last year,Sadokha accused the Kremlin of militarising children in Tenerife through Russian-backed organisations he said were running Soviet-style military-patriotic games.He led protests against Brazil president Lula da Silva in 2023 during his five-day official visit to Portugal after the political leader angered many in the West for suggesting both Ukraine and Russia were to blame for the conflict that began when Moscow attacked its neighbour in February 2022.Protestors held up signs outside the Brazilian embassy saying: ‘Russia is a terrorist state’ and ‘Stop killing our children.’Pablo Sadokha said at the time: ‘People die in Ukraine every day and we need international support.’Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at .For more stories like this,check our news page.