Ukraine on February 28, then made the sign of the cross and touched Zinichev's body in a gentle, farewell gesture. Taking his place next to the minister's widow Natalya and son Denis, Putin looked devastated as he shook both their hands.
Like Putin, Zinichev was once a KGB man and some believed the Russian president was grooming him to eventually become Putin's successor, reports the Daily Mail.
Speaking about Putin and Zinichev's friendship, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: "They shared many years of joint work and it's a huge loss'"Zinichev had a stellar career under Putin and the Daily Mail also reports that he had been chosen for a new powerful role on the Kremlin's security council.
As well as being ex-KGB, Zinichev was a member of the presidential bodyguard between 2006 and 2015, reports Sky News.Before taking on the role of emergencies minister in 2018, he was the deputy director of Russia's domestic intelligence service, the FSB.Putin paid tribute to his colleague in a condolence message to his wife Natalya and son Denis.In his message, Putin wrote: "I am stunned by the tragic news about the death of Yevgeny Nicholayevich Zinichev."I ask you to accept my sincere condolences and words of support at this sorrowful hour.
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