MOSCOW: Russia’s ambassador to the United States, Alexander Darchiev, has died suddenly in Moscow at the age of 66, the Russian Foreign Ministry announced on Wednesday, 11 November 2026.
The ministry described Darchiev as an exceptional professional who had dedicated his career to Russian diplomacy, particularly in some of the most sensitive areas of Moscow’s foreign relations.
In a statement announcing his death, the ministry said Darchiev had passed away unexpectedly. Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova subsequently disclosed that the diplomat had been battling a chronic illness.
“Alexander Darchiev served in one of the most demanding areas of Russian foreign policy,” the ministry’s statement said.
“We extend our deepest and most heartfelt condolences to Alexander Darchiev’s family and loved ones.”
Darchiev had reportedly left the Russian Embassy in Washington DC before returning to Moscow, where he was receiving medical treatment for a long-term illness, according to a source familiar with the matter who spoke to CNN.
His death comes after a diplomatic career spanning several decades, during which he became known for his outspoken criticism of Western governments and their foreign policies.
Appointed ambassador to Washington in March 2025, Darchiev served during a period of renewed diplomatic engagement between Russia and the United States under US President Donald Trump.
The two countries had begun exploring ways to improve bilateral relations through direct negotiations, marking a shift in diplomatic engagement following years of heightened tensions over the conflict in Ukraine.
Trump’s administration also moved to scale back American assistance to Ukraine, developments that formed part of the changing political and diplomatic environment during Darchiev’s tenure in Washington.
Before taking up the ambassadorial position, Darchiev headed the Russian Foreign Ministry’s North Atlantic Department, a role that involved dealing with relations between Moscow and Western countries.
His diplomatic assignments also included serving as Russia’s ambassador to Canada between 2014 and 2021, according to information published by the Russian Embassy in the United States.
His death recalls that of another senior Russian diplomat, Vitaly Churkin, who died in 2017 at the age of 64 while serving as Russia’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations.
Churkin died following cardiac arrest in New York, one day before his 65th birthday.
The Russian Foreign Ministry has not provided further details surrounding the circumstances of Darchiev’s death.
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