Russian Ambassador to the United States Alexander Darchiev Dies at 66

Russia’s ambassador to the United States, Alexander Darchiev, died at the age of 66, the Russian Foreign Ministry announced on Wednesday. The ministry described him as a “professional of the highest order and a brilliant expert on American affairs.” No cause of death was disclosed.

Darchiev succeeded Anatoly Antonov as ambassador in early 2025, following a brief improvement in U.S.-Russia relations after President Donald Trump returned to the White House. He had previously served at the Russian Embassy in Washington in the late 2000s, spent six years as ambassador to Canada, and led the Foreign Ministry’s North American Department for four years.

According to former diplomat Boris Bondarev, Darchiev was a protégé of President Vladimir Putin’s foreign-policy adviser Yury Ushakov. Observers noted that, at the time of his appointment, he was not expected to wield significant influence because most major issues between Moscow and Washington were being handled at higher levels.

The Kremlin has not commented on the ambassador’s death, and U.S. officials have not issued statements.