Mirgayas Shirinsky, the Russian ambassador to Sudan, was found dead on Wednesday night. Official found the ambassador at his residence in Khartoum, the capital city of Sudan. Shirinsky had been appointed ambassador in 2013.
According to the BBC, police initially reported that Shirinsky died of natural causes, but later released that he ws “found dead in the swimming pool of his residence at 7:05pm (16:05 GMT).”
It is also curious to note that while the BBC reports the time of death at 7:05pm, other reports from ABC News say the ambassador died approximately an hour before.
According to ABC News and the Russian foreign ministry, “Shirinsky appeared to have suffered symptoms consistent with a heart attack when he was discovered.”
Although embassy staff called for aid, the doctors were unable to revive the ambassador, and he “died around 6 p.m. local time, the ministry said.”
“Mirgayas Shirinsky was a top professional who dedicated his life to diplomatic service,” Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Maria Zakharova said at a press briefing in Moscow on Thursday. “We express our sincere condolences to the family and friends of the ambassador. May he rest in peace.”
After confirmation of Shirinsky’s death, the Sudanese foreign ministry offered their “warm condolences” to Russia. His death makes Shirinsky the fourth ambassador to die while on assignment overseas since the beginning of 2017.Nine have reportedly died since the beginning of 2016.
Sudan also praised the former ambassador for his work, which included efforts to “enhance diplomatic relations between the two countries while in office.”
Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir is set to make his first formal visit to Moscow this month. He is wanted by the International Criminal Court for genocide.
Although Russia signed the Rome statute that brought an international crimes court into being in 2000, the treaty was never ratiffied. President Putin withdrew Russia’s signature from the treaty by executive rder in November.
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