The head of the Department of General European Cooperation at the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Nikolay Kobrinets, was found dead in his hotel room in the Taksim district of Istanbul, Turkey.

This was reported by the Turkish TV channel NTV.

The Russian diplomat had come to Istanbul for a meeting with ambassadors. His Russian colleagues attempted to reach him when he didn't attend a morning meeting. Afterward, hotel staff entered Kobrinets' room and discovered his lifeless body.

According to preliminary findings from the investigation, Kobrinets passed away from a heart attack. His body was transported to the morgue to determine the precise cause of death.

The press service of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed the reports about Kobrinets' death but did not specify the exact cause.

Nikolay Kobrinets worked in the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs system for many years. He held various positions in the central apparatus and abroad. Since 2019, he had been serving as the head of the Department of General European Cooperation at the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.