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Russia’s ambassador to the United States, Alexander Darchiev, has died “suddenly” at age 66, Moscow’s foreign ministry announced Wednesday, about a year and a half after he took up the post in Washington.
The ministry paid tribute to Darchiev as an “outstanding diplomat, an experienced leader and a kind colleague.” It did not say how or where he died, and it gave no further details about the circumstances.
Darchiev was appointed to the US post in March 2025. His appointment came shortly after Donald Trump returned to the presidency, and at a time when relations between Moscow and Western governments had been strained for years by Russia’s offensive in Ukraine.
An ambassador is a government’s top diplomatic representative in a foreign capital, and Russia’s envoy in Washington serves as a main channel between the two governments. Darchiev held that role for roughly 18 months.
Darchiev was regarded as a specialist in Russia-US relations. He directed the North America department at Russia’s foreign ministry from 2014 to 2020, a period in which that office handled the ministry’s work on both Washington and Ottawa.
He then moved into a posting abroad as Russia’s ambassador to Canada, serving from 2021 to 2024. His move to Washington followed that assignment.
Darchiev’s tenure in the United States unfolded against the backdrop of the war in Ukraine, which began in February 2022 when Russia launched its full-scale invasion. At the time of the attack, Darchiev described the move as a “necessary measure.”
The foreign ministry’s statement did not address who would take over the Washington post, and no details on the arrangements following his death were provided.
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