Russian pianist dies in jail after criticizing Moscow’s action in Ukraine

MOSCOW (AP) — A Russian piano player has died in jail while awaiting trial on charges linked to his criticism of Moscow’s military action in Ukraine. Mediazona, an independent Russian news outlet, reported Tuesday that pianist Pavel Kushnir died on July 28 in a jail in Birobidzhan, a city in fareastern Russia near the border with China. He was 39. It quoted his mother as saying that an investigator told her that Kushnir died while being on a hunger strike. Russian authorities haven’t issued any statements on Kushnir’s death. Kushnir was custody after his arrest in May on charges related to his criticism of the Kremlin and its action in Ukraine on his YouTube channel.