Mysterious Death of COVID Vaccine Creator Sparks Conspiracy Theories

The death of a Russian virologist who helped develop the country’s COVID vaccine has sparked conspiracy theories online about the nature of his demise. Andrey Botikov, one of 18 scientists who developed the Sputnik V vaccine at the Gamaleya National Research Center, was strangled in his Rogova Street home on March 2, Russian news outlet Regnum reported, citing official sources. While official accounts point towards a domestic altercation, the 47-year-old’s death comes amid a string of members of the Russian elite being found dead in mysterious circumstances over the past year, including scientists and businessmen. The Investigative Committee of Russia…