At least 25 people have died in Russia’s Leningrad region after drinking cheap vodka contaminated with methanol, authorities confirmed in late September 2025.
The deaths happened throughout the month in Slantsy and surrounding villages near the Estonian border. The first fatalities were reported on Sept. 10 in the Volosovsky district. Tests revealed high or lethal levels of methanol in the victims’ bodies, according to Russia’s Investigative Committee.
The mass poisoning began on Sept. 24 when a 54-year-old man from the village of Gostitsy died just two hours after being hospitalized. That same evening, a 69-year-old resident also passed away. Over the following days, more bodies were discovered, including a 42-year-old man and a 58-year-old woman found in a house in Gostitsy. On Sept. 25, another couple, both aged 46, were found dead in the same village.
Among the confirmed victims were Nadezhda B., 63, Yuri F., 39, Yuri K., 65, Alla L., 53, and Zemfira F., 55. According to Telegram channel Topor, the victim Yuri Spiridonov, 54, had consumed alcohol and crawled to “his wife on his knees,” telling her he was dying. A few hours later, he was dead.
Authorities arrested 60-year-old nursery school teacher Olga Stepanova and 78-year-old Nikolai Boytsov in connection with the deaths. Stepanova has been accused of buying alcohol without a license before repeatedly transporting and selling it to Boytsov, which led to multiple deaths. Authorities say Boytsov poisoned his own wife, who is among the deceased. During a search of Boytsov’s apartment, authorities found empty glass bottles and plastic containers with volumes up to 10 liters that smelled like alcohol.
A resident who lived in the area said many locals regularly bought alcohol from Boytsov. While large-scale poisonings had not occurred before, residents said every year in Slantsy, someone died from moonshine. In one case, a woman lost use of her legs after consuming it. Locals reported Boytsov often sold alcohol on credit or at reduced prices when villagers were desperate.
Eight additional suspects have been arrested for producing and distributing the dangerous alcohol. One suspect was jailed for 30 days, according to the Slantsevsky City Court of the Leningrad Region. A total of 14 individuals were detained in connection with three separate criminal cases. Authorities seized more than 1,000 liters, approximately 264 gallons, of the contaminated vodka during their investigation. Officials fear more bottles may still be in circulation.
Interior Ministry spokeswoman Major General Irina Volk confirmed that investigators had traced the counterfeit vodka to a commercial firm in Trubnikov Bor in the Tosnensky district. According to experts, the deaths were caused by “deadly content of methanol alcohol” in the blood, Volk said.
The victims were almost entirely pensioners who purchased cheap, unlabeled spirits for approximately 90 pence, or about $1, per bottle. The deaths were concentrated in economically struggling towns close to the Estonian border, where moonshine consumption is widespread. The homemade vodka contained approximately 45% alcohol by volume, or 90 proof.
Methanol, also known as methyl alcohol or wood alcohol, is commonly found in windshield wiper fluid, antifreeze, and other household products. Because methanol is colorless and odorless, bootleggers often use it as a cheap substitute in homemade alcohol. According to Mount Sinai Hospital, as little as 2 tablespoons can be deadly to a child, while about 2 to 8 ounces can be deadly for an adult.
Those who consume methanol can experience visual problems, with as little as 4 milliliters able to cause permanent blindness. From 30 to 120 minutes after drinking it, effects resemble those of mild alcohol intoxication with drowsiness, confusion, and irritability. Between six and 30 hours after drinking, a person may start to experience dizziness, drowsiness, vomiting, severe abdominal pain, and diarrhea.
Vladimir Putin’s spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, commented on the incident, calling it an “extraordinary accident, a tragedy” with a large number of casualties. He said law enforcement agencies are working on the case.
The prosecutor’s office warned residents not to purchase alcohol of unknown origin and confirmed that ongoing checks are being conducted on local shops and warehouses. Health authorities urged anyone who believes they have consumed methanol to seek immediate medical attention. The Leningrad region administration confirmed that 19 deaths after alcohol consumption were recorded in the Slantsy District in September, with eight cases confirmed as methanol poisoning. Another person remained hospitalized in critical condition.
Mass deaths from drinking cheap homemade alcohol substitutes are not uncommon in Russia. Earlier in the week, prosecutors sentenced two people to almost a decade in prison for making and selling a counterfeit cider drink that killed 50 people in 2023. In August 2025, at least 10 tourists died in Sochi after drinking counterfeit chacha (and wine) bought at a market.
In 2016, more than 60 people died in Irkutsk in Siberia after drinking contraband bath oil that contained methanol. Russia “toughened legislation after that incident,” but cheap homemade spirits using alcohol substitutes remain widely available, particularly in rural areas with low standards of living and where vodka prices are too high for many residents. Russia has faced repeated waves of deadly surrogate alcohol poisonings, often involving methanol-laced or industrial-grade spirits. These incidents are typically caused by “poverty, limited access to legal alcohol,” and underground suppliers who continue operating in rural areas.
Update: As of September 29, the number of dead had increased to 33.
