Eighth death of Russian diplomat in 10 months

RUSSIA’S ambassador to Sudan has been found dead in his swimming pool, reportedly of a heart attack.

The body of Mirgayas Shirinsky, 62, was found on Wednesday at his Khartoum residence – the eighth Russian diplomat to die unexpectedly in 10 months.

Maria Zakharova, Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman, said yesterday that the ambassador had been “found with signs of an acute heart attack”.

Ruling out foul play, police said he had “died while he was swimming in his pool at his house”.

The spate of deaths began on the day Donald Trump was elected president in November, when Sergei Krivov, duty commander of the Russian consulate in New York, was found dead with a head wound at the facility.

Andrei Karlov, ambassador to Turkey, was shot in the back during his speech at an Ankara art gallery in December by a police officer yelling “Don’t forget Syria”.

Vitaly Churkin, ambassador to the UN, died at work in February, the day before his 65th birthday, reportedly of a heart attack.

Alexander Kadakin, 67, ambassador to India, died in a hospital in January.

♦ North Korea has opened its doors to Russian tourists, issuing a licence for the first travel agency in Moscow to promise clients “full immersion” in the nation’s culture and enjoyment – “safer than an evening walk in London”.