A former ally of deposed Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych has been found shot to death in his home in Kiev. The Ukrainian Interior Ministry said Oleg Kalashnikov, a former member of the Ukrainian parliament, was found dead Wednesday evening. It said the he had died of gunshot wounds but did not say whether it was believed to be homicide or suicide. Scroll down for video . The Ukrainian Interior Ministry said Oleg Kalashnikov (pictured), a former member of the Ukrainian parliament, was found dead Wednesday evening . Kalashnikov was a former ally of deposed Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych (pictured) Kalashnikov was a deputy for the Party of Regions in Ukraine's previous parliament. At least six former Ukrainian government officials from Yanukovych's time have died over the past two months in various circumstances that police have said were most likely suicides. Yanukovych fled in February 2014 after months of increasingly violent protests. He later resurfaced in Russia. Senior ministry official Anton Gerashchenko said . Kalashnikov, 52, had knowledge of the 'Anti-Maidan' movement, . which opposed pro-Western protests that ousted Yanukovich, suggesting this might be a motive for his alleged murder. The ministry had opened up a criminal case, he said. There were mass protests against Yanukovych last year in Kiev's Maidan Square . 'Without doubt the deceased knew a lot about who financed . Anti-Maidan and in what way... He takes these secrets with him . to the grave,' Gerashchenko said. On Thursday, meanwhile, a prominent Ukrainian journalist known for his pro-Russian views was shot dead  in Kiev by two masked gunmen. Oles Buzina, 45, was known for his pro-Russian opinionpieces published in Ukraine's Sevodnya daily newspaper, which is part of the media empire of Ukraine's richest businessman RinatAkhmetov. He ran in last year's election for a parliamentaryseat for the Russian Bloc party, but was not elected.
Oleg Kalashnikov died of gunshot wounds, Ukraine's Interior Ministry said .
He was a Party of Regions deputy in Ukraine's previous parliament .
Kalashnikov was ally of deposed Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych .