Mystery Surrounds Sudden Death of Putin’s Man in D.C.

Detailed summary

No cause of death was provided, with the Russian Foreign Ministry announcement only saying he “passed away suddenly.” ADVERTISEMENT The ministry also described Darchiev as “an…

Alexander Darchiev, the Russian ambassador to the United States, has died at 66.

No cause of death was provided, with the Russian Foreign Ministry announcement only saying he “passed away suddenly.”

The ministry also described Darchiev as “an outstanding diplomat, an experienced leader, a kind friend, and a mentor.”

“Alexander Darchiev served in one of the most demanding areas of Russian foreign policy,” the statement said. “We extend our deepest and most heartfelt condolences to Alexander Darchiev’s family and loved ones.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin appointed Darchiev to the post in Washington, D.C., in March 2025.

Darchiev was viewed as a seasoned diplomat, particularly with the West, having previously served at Russia’s embassy in Washington in the late 2000s before moving back to Russia to work in the Foreign Ministry. He also spent six years in Canada as Russia’s ambassador there.

Before taking over his post in the U.S., Darchiev had spoken about his desire for relations between the U.S. and Russia to normalize.

“Russia and the United States are destined, as great powers, to have a non-confrontational, peaceful existence,” he said last year after formally presenting his diplomatic credentials to President Donald Trump.

“It was a great honour for me, as Russian ambassador, to speak with President Trump,” he said. “I assured him that I and this embassy under my direction will do everything to restore Russian-American relations and bring them back to normality and common sense.”

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