Ex-Putin Bodyguard, Emergencies Minister Killed in Accident

(Bloomberg) -- Russian Emergencies Minister Yevgeny Zinichev died on Wednesday in an accident during an Arctic training exercise in Norilsk. 

Zinichev, 55, died while trying to rescue film director Alexander Melnik, state television channel Rossiya 24 reported, citing the ministry. The minister hit a rock when he dived into the water after the man, who had fallen from the ledge they were standing on, Margarita Simonyan, editor-in-chief of state-funded RT, wrote in social media posts. 

Zinichev was one of several of President Vladimir Putin's former bodyguards who was promoted to political office, becoming governor of the Kaliningrad region in 2016. He resigned several months later, and served as deputy head of the Federal Security Service, known as the FSB, before being appointed emergencies minister in 2018. 

Putin expressed his condolences, the Kremlin said in a statement, noting the two men had worked together for many years.

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