The St. Petersburg theatre expressed its sorrow, stating, "This is a tremendous loss for the entire staff of the Mariinsky Theatre. We extend our condolences to the family, friends of the artist, and all the numerous admirers of his work and talent."
A representative from the theatre informed Russian media over the weekend that he had fallen from the fifth floor of a building while taking "strong painkillers" for a back injury.
Tributes have been pouring in from fellow dancers for Shklyarov, who was married to fellow company dancer Maria Shklyarov and was the father of two children.
Former ballerina Irina Bartnovskaya mentioned that Mr. Shklyarov was at home, managing pain relief, and preparing for foot surgery at the time of his tragic accident.
In a message on Telegram, she elaborated: "He stepped out onto the balcony to get some fresh air and smoke, lost his footing (the balcony was very narrow), and fell from the fifth floor. A senseless, unbearable accident."
Diana Vishneva, a ballerina at the Mariinsky Theatre, also shared her condolences, stating, "This tragedy brings only tears and sadness."
According to the state-run news agency RIA Novosti, an investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death has been initiated. The outlet further reported that the preliminary assessment suggests the cause of death was accidental.