Lev Sotskov, a retired Major General of Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service (known for the Russian initials as SVR — ed.) was found dead in Moscow, TASS reports with reference to a source at law enforcement agencies.
According to the agency, 90-year-old Sotskov was found dead in an apartment on Novatorov Street.
The body had a gunshot wound to the head, RBC reports.
The head of the SVR press bureau, Sergei Ivanov, confirmed the death of the retired general.
"We at the press bureau of the Foreign Intelligence Service perceive the death of Lev Sotskov as a personal tragedy. Unfortunately, a good officer, a major general, a veteran of the Foreign Intelligence Service, has passed away,” Ivanov told TASS.
Sotskov recently worked with archives and "uncovered a lot of documents that shed light on most important events before the start of the Great Patriotic War," the official said.