عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
World

Russian Minister Dies During Arctic Training Exercise

Minister of Civil Defense, Emergencies and Disaster Relief of Russia Yevgeny Zinichev listens to Russian President Vladimir Putin during a meeting in Moscow, Russia December 27, 2019. Reuters
Minister of Civil Defense, Emergencies and Disaster Relief of Russia Yevgeny Zinichev listens to Russian President Vladimir Putin during a meeting in Moscow, Russia December 27, 2019. Reuters
TT
TT

Russian Minister Dies During Arctic Training Exercise

Minister of Civil Defense, Emergencies and Disaster Relief of Russia Yevgeny Zinichev listens to Russian President Vladimir Putin during a meeting in Moscow, Russia December 27, 2019. Reuters
Minister of Civil Defense, Emergencies and Disaster Relief of Russia Yevgeny Zinichev listens to Russian President Vladimir Putin during a meeting in Moscow, Russia December 27, 2019. Reuters

Russia's Emergencies Minister Yevgeny Zinichev died during a training exercise in the Arctic, the RIA news agency cited the ministry as saying on Wednesday.

The 55-year-old official, who had headed the high-profile emergencies ministry since 2018, died while saving someone's life, it said without providing further details.

"... Zinichev died tragically while performing his official duties during inter-departmental drills to prevent crisis situations in the Arctic, saving someone's life," RIA quoted the ministry as saying.

Zinichev was in the Arctic to oversee large-scale drills and visited the construction site of a new fire station in Norilsk, as well as a search and rescue team in the area, the ministry had said in a statement earlier on Wednesday, according to Reuters.

Before becoming a minister, Zinichev held a number of jobs including as former deputy director of the Federal Security Service and briefly as acting regional governor of Kaliningrad.

He is thought to have once been part of President Vladimir Putin's security detail.

Most Viewed

 
 
World

Iran’s Khatami: 60% Non-Participation Unprecedented, Signaling Majority Anger

Reformist presidential candidate Masoud Pezeshkian meets former Iranian president Mohammad Khatami after receiving endorsement from the Reformist Front before the first round of voting (Jamaran)
Reformist presidential candidate Masoud Pezeshkian meets former Iranian president Mohammad Khatami after receiving endorsement from the Reformist Front before the first round of voting (Jamaran)
TT
TT

Iran’s Khatami: 60% Non-Participation Unprecedented, Signaling Majority Anger

Reformist presidential candidate Masoud Pezeshkian meets former Iranian president Mohammad Khatami after receiving endorsement from the Reformist Front before the first round of voting (Jamaran)
Reformist presidential candidate Masoud Pezeshkian meets former Iranian president Mohammad Khatami after receiving endorsement from the Reformist Front before the first round of voting (Jamaran)

Former reformist president Mohammad Khatami called the recent Iranian elections “unprecedented,” noting that over 60% of Iranians abstained from voting, which he said shows widespread anger among the population.

In the upcoming presidential runoff, hardliner Saeed Jalili and reformist Masoud Pezeshkian are vying to mobilize millions of voters on Friday, despite general apathy towards the tightly controlled election.

More than 60% of voters did not participate in the June 28 election to replace the late President Ebrahim Raisi, who died in a helicopter crash. This record low turnout is seen by critics as a sign of no confidence in Iran.

Reuters predicts a close race on Friday between Pezeshkian, the only reformist candidate from the first round, and Jalili, a current representative of the Supreme Leader on the National Security Council and a former Revolutionary Guard member.

The candidates are promoting sharply different agendas to attract voters. Jalili advocates strict domestic and foreign policies, while Pezeshkian calls for more social and political freedoms.

Both promise to revive Iran’s struggling economy plagued by mismanagement, corruption, and sanctions since 2018 due to Iran’s nuclear program.

The ruling authorities seek high voter turnout to maintain legitimacy amid Western pressure over Iran’s nuclear advancements and regional tensions like the Israel-Hamas conflict.

Voter turnout in Iran has been declining, hitting a low of 41% in March’s parliamentary elections. In 2021, Raisi was elected with a 49% turnout after disqualifying many experienced candidates.

On his part, Khatami urged leaders to heed voter dissatisfaction, emphasizing voting as a national right and a political statement. He backed Pezeshkian, citing his integrity as a former health minister.

Khatami further urged Iranians to choose between Jalili’s path, seen as undermining rights and exacerbating poverty, and Pezeshkian’s path, which aims to enhance justice and address citizens’ needs.