MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Former Russian Press Minister and ex-head of Gazprom-Media Mikhail Lesin died at the age of 57 from a heart stroke on Friday in Moscow, his family said.
"Mikhail Lesin died from a heart stroke," a family member told RIA Novosti.
Following the news, Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed condolences to the family of Lesin, who had served as a presidential adviser from 2004 to 2009.
Lesin was born on July 11, 1958. He served as a minister for the affairs of the press, broadcasting and mass communications from 1999 to 2004.
He was appointed to head Gazprom-Media holding in October 2013 and resigned in January 2015, citing family reasons.
Lesin is also widely credited as the creator of international broadcaster RT.