Ex-Putin Bodyguard, Emergencies Minister Killed in Accident
- Minister was trying to save film director: state television
- Zinichev had been a bodyguard to Putin, later was promoted
Photographer: Alexey Nikolsky/Sputnik/Getty Images
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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.