Zinichev, 55, was trying to save someone’s life when the incident took place in the Russian city of Norilsk.
“The Russian Ministry of Emergencies reports with regret that Yevgeny Zinichev died tragically in the line of duty while attending interdepartmental exercises to protect the Arctic emergency zone and save a person’s life,” the ministry said. , according to the state media.
The ministry did not immediately provide any other immediate details about the circumstances of Zinichev’s death.
Zinichev was in the Arctic to oversee large-scale exercises, according to an official ministry statement released before his death.
As part of the visit, Zinichev joined local officials to inspect progress on the construction of a new fire station in Norilsk, which will open later this year. The Minister also personally oversaw the implementation of training tasks for emergency response by the units.
Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed his “deep condolences” to Zinichev’s family and friends, the Kremlin said in a statement on Wednesday.
He noted that Putin and Zinichev, who, according to state media, had a long career with Russia’s state security agencies, had been “linked for many years of working together.”