The protagonist of this extraordinary story learned about his own death from a doctor at a local polyclinic. Initially, he dismissed the news as a simple administrative error. However, the situation quickly escalated when banks began blocking his cards, and his employer terminated his contract, unwilling to deal with the complications of an “officially deceased” employee. It was eventually discovered that the St. Petersburg resident had been erroneously declared dead because a deceased individual was found in possession of his stolen passport.
For two months, a resident of St. Petersburg has been tirelessly working to convince various institutions, including banks and hospitals, that he is, in fact, alive. So far, his efforts have met with limited success. Earlier this summer, Igor Baykov visited a polyclinic where he was unexpectedly informed that he had passed away a couple of months prior. Both the doctor and Igor initially dismissed it as a clerical mistake, and life continued as usual for a short period. This calm was shattered when Igor effectively “died” in the eyes of banks, the social welfare fund, and other official bodies. Here`s the account from the man himself:
“First, I went to see a general practitioner at Polyclinic No. 37. She informed me that, according to the public services website, I had died on April 6th. She’s been my doctor for 22 years and knows me very well. She asked, ‘How could this have happened?’ I checked the computer – it stated I died at Mariinsky Hospital, even though I was not there at that time. Yes, it confirmed my death there on April 6th. Then, after July 2nd, my card was blocked. I remember going to work, taking the metro in the morning, and the ATM didn`t return my card. That evening, I went to Sberbank, where they confirmed I was officially listed as deceased.”
As a result of his “death” status, Igor stopped receiving his combat veteran`s benefits. His employer promptly fired him, citing an unwillingness to encounter legal or administrative issues stemming from an “officially deceased” driver. The absurdity peaked when Igor Baykov was then handed his own death certificate at the civil registry office. When he attempted to inquire at the hospital about how and why he supposedly died, he was simply directed to the police.
Eventually, the truth emerged: Igor Baykov`s passport had been stolen four years prior, leading him to obtain a new one. The individual who actually passed away was someone using his old, stolen document.
Igor`s lawyer, Vera Safonova, initially found the story almost unbelievable. However, after seeing a photograph of Igor holding his own death certificate, she immediately decided to offer her assistance:
“I promptly sent inquiries to funeral services and other relevant organizations, and we successfully managed to halt the burial of this ‘false’ Baykov. Otherwise, he would have been interred, as a funeral team had already been arranged for this ‘Baykov.’ This entire case will now be thoroughly investigated – to determine who placed Baykov’s passport with the deceased, whether the deceased himself was living under that identity, or if someone intentionally wanted the deceased person to be found with Baykov’s passport. It’s possible this involves a criminal act or an unidentified body. This story has the potential to become very high-profile. Crucially, the Investigative Committee has seized the documents of the deceased individual who was mistakenly identified under the surname Baykov. For now, Baykov has found some peace, but he is not yet fully relieved, as all his existing documents have been declared invalid. Everywhere he goes, he is still perceived as ‘deceased.’ The next steps involve restoring his legal status, obtaining a court decision, and effectively ‘bringing him back to life’ in the official records.”
For now, at least, the complex saga has finally begun to move forward from its frustrating deadlock.
Rupert Blackwood 
Clement Ashworth