General Igor Sergun, the man in charge of the Main Intelligence Directorate of Russia’s General Staff (known as the GRU) since 2011, died unexpectedly today at the age of 58.
The public learned about the death in a telegram of condolences signed by Vladimir Putin, addressed to Sergun’s relatives, published on the Kremlin’s official website. The Russian President called Sergun ‘a person of great courage and a true patriot’
Sergun’s full biography is classified. The cause of death is also not reported. Dating back to 1984, he served in various positions in the Main Intelligence Directorate, taking the helm in 2011.
His subordinate troops are known to be engaged in fighting in the east of Ukraine. Last May two Russian GRU special forces soldiers were taken captive by Ukraine’s army.
Interestingly, the country’s Defense Ministry repudiated any connection to them calling Captain Yevgeny Yerofeyev and Sergeant Alexander Alexandrov ‘mercenaries’. But later Vladimir Putin did admit the fact of Russian military’s presence and involvement in the conflict in Donbas.
In late December, Major-General Alexander Shushukin, 52, who reportedly ran the annexation of Crimea in Ukraine and Russia’s invasion in South Ossetia, unexpectedly died of cardiac arrest.
Belsat.eu, following meduza.io, phot. Mil.ru.
