PHOTO + VIDEO: With tears in his eyes, Putin said goodbye to his close friend
Russian President Vladimir Putin appeared visibly shaken at the funeral of the late Minister of Emergency Situations Evgeny Zinichev. who died Wednesday in the Arctic region, transmits the Daily Mail.
Putin and Zinichev have been close allies for years, and the late minister was once a member of the Russian leader's security.
It should come as no surprise, then, that Putin was the one who appeared at his commemoration in Moscow, and out of respect for his dead friend, Putin crossed himself in front of the coffin in accordance with Orthodox custom.
With a bouquet of red roses in his hands, Putin took part in the last farewell with his colleague. After that, he sat down between Zinichev's wife, Natalia, and his son Denis.
Zinichev died on duty on Wednesday, saving the life of one person during exercises in the Russian city of Norilsk.
As previously reported, Zinichev tried to save the Russian director Alexander Melnik, who fell into the water, but unfortunately the minister landed on a rock and died.
Russian President Vladimir Putin posthumously awarded the title of Russian hero to Yevgeny Zinichev.
Tragedy in Russia: The Minister of Emergency Situations died during an exercise in Norilsk