German Foreign Ministry Says Russian Embassy Staffer Died in Berlin, Refuses to Comment

Previously, German magazine Der Spiegel reported that Berlin police officers found a Russian diplomat dead near the embassy on 19 October. The report claimed that the man had fallen out of a window at the diplomatic facility in the Mitte district of Berlin.

The German Foreign Ministry stated on Friday that it was aware of the death of a Russian Embassy staffer in Berlin, but refused to elaborate on the details due to personal data protection.

"I can tell you that the foreign ministry is aware of the incident. I ask you to understand that I cannot provide any details for reasons of protection of the personal data of the deceased person and his relatives", ministry spokesman Christopher Burger said at a briefing.

The 35-year-old man, serving as the second secretary at the embassy, had been accredited since summer 2019, according to Der Spiegel. The magazine reported, citing security sources, that the circumstances of the incident and the cause of his death remain unclear.

The Russian Embassy has declined to comment on the incident, citing ethical reasons.