According to Radio Svoboda, Yaroshenko was admitted with serious head trauma on April 29th, and went through two operations before coming out of a coma.  He was released in June, but after a brief time at home, his condition dramatically worsened, and he returned to the hospital, where doctors were not able to save his life.

Yaroshenko was attacked outside of his home as he returned from work.  An unknown assailant approached the editor, hitting him in the temple before fleeing the scene.

Sergey Sleptsov, on of Yaroshenko’s colleagues, earlier said that he had no doubts that the attack was connected with the journalist’s work.  “I have a suspicion regarding those who organized the attack, but I won’t make it public yet,” he said.  “We worked on the Corruption newspaper together, and I was attacked in a similar manner at one point.”

Local police have refused to file a report on the attack or launch a criminal investigation.  According to Sleptsov, officers insist that Yaroshenko’s localized injuries resulted from a fall from a ladder.

The Russian Union of Journalists has pledged to launch an independent investigation.

According to Sleptsov, Yaroshenko was attacked outside his home as he returned from work on Wednesday.  An unknown assailant jumped the journalist, hitting him in the head and temple before fleeing the scene.  The editor was taken to an area hospital, where he underwent surgery that lasted until 5 AM.

Yaroshenko is currently in the intensive care unit, and has yet to regain consciousness.  Doctors believe he still has a chance of recovering, Sleptsov said.

Sleptsov is also convinced that the attack is connected with Yaroshenko’s work, linking it to revenge for his newspaper articles.

“I have a suspicion regarding those who organized the attack, but I won’t make it public yet,” he said.  “We worked on the Corruption newspaper together, and I was attacked in a similar manner at one point.”  Sleptsov added that in his attack, it came public that regional law enforcement authorities were involved.

Sleptsov said it was telling that local police have so far refused to file a report on Yaroshenko’s attack.

According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, Russia remains at the top of the list for countries where crimes against journalists remain unpunished.  Russia ranks 9th place in the watchdog group’s “Impunity Index,” behind countries like Iraq, Sierra Leone and Somalia.

In the first months of 2009, Russia has seen a series of vicious attacks against members of the press.  The victims include Saratov journalist Vadim Rogozhin, editor Maxim Zolotarev, and Khimki layout designer Sergey Protazanov, who died from his wounds.