Russian ambassador to US dies, foreign ministry says

Detailed summary

Russian ambassador to the United ‌States Alexander Darchiev ‌has died at the age of 66, Russia's foreign ministry ‌says.

Alexander Darchiev, Russia's ambassador to the United States, has died aged 66, the foreign ministry in Moscow says.

Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a separate statement that Darchiev died in Moscow from an unspecified chronic illness.

The statement described Darchiev as "an outstanding diplomat, experienced leader, good comrade and mentor," as well as a brilliant scholar of US affairs, working "in one of the most important areas of Russian foreign policy".

The longtime diplomat served as the ambassador to the US since early 2025, according to his profile page on the website of the Russian embassy in Washington DC.

He succeeded Anatoly Antonov, who was relieved of his duties in late 2024.

Before that, Darchiev headed the foreign ministry's North America and North Atlantic departments.

He also served as ambassador to Canada and was a minister-counsellor at the Washington DC embassy.

In February 2025, Darchiev headed Russia's delegation in Istanbul for talks with the United States.

Another Russian diplomat, envoy to the United Nations Vitaly Churkin, died suddenly in February 2017 in New York at age 64.

Opening of the article, excerpted from PerthNow. To read the rest, open the article on the publisher's site.