Boris Beresovsky buried in low-key funeral

Image
Press Trust of India London
Last Updated : May 09 2013 | 6:55 PM IST
Russian oligarch Boris Beresovsky, who was mysteriously found dead on the bathroom floor of his ex-wife's home in England, has been buried in a low-key ceremony in Surrey.
The funeral, nearly six weeks after the incident, took place at Brookwood cemetery near Woking in the presence of around 30 mourners including family, friends and his British lawyers.
According to the Guardian, the service took place yesterday in a small brick chapel, overlooked by Russian pines and silver birches and under an overcast sky.
Mourners dressed in black and bearing lilies, included the oligarch's close friend Akhmed Zakayev, the London-based Chechen separatist leader who was there with his son.
Beresovsky's daughter Elizaveta and five other children attended, bearing flowers.
At the time of his death Berezovsky had spent more than a decade waging a high-profile media battle against his one-time protege Vladimir Putin.
Berezovsky's relatives had originally planned to hold the funeral on Monday, but switched the day and the venue to dodge Russia's pro-Putin state media, and to wait for an Orthodox priest to fly in from Moscow, the newspaper claimed.
"He was a friend. I miss him. I'm very grateful to Boris. Through him I felt the touch of history," said Berezovsky's friend Alex Goldfarb, who alongside Beresovsky played a defining role in Russia's turbulent post-Communist 1990s.
Berezovsky's body was found on March 23 at his ex-wife Galina's home in Ascot. He was 67.
He had been living there after legal bills forced him to sell his own luxury Wentworth home.
Detectives have said they believe Berezovsky killed himself. A preliminary inquest heard a ligature was found around his neck.
Friends admit he was depressed and demoralised after losing his USD 5 billion high court litigation battle last autumn against Chelsea FC owner Roman Abramovich.
Some, however, are convinced he was murdered.
*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: May 09 2013 | 6:55 PM IST

Next Story