Russian media reports said prominent Russian polar explorer and lawmaker Artur Chilingarov has died at the age of 84. No cause of death was given. Chilingarov took part in several polar expeditions, including one to rescue a research vessel, for which he was awarded the title of the Hero of the Soviet Union in 1986. In 2007, Chilingarov captained a self-propelled vehicle to the bottom of the Arctic Ocean where he planted a titanium Russian flag. Chilingarov was under Western sanctions for his open support of Moscow’s illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014 and ongoing full-scale aggression against Ukraine. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Russian Service, click here.
Russian Lawmaker, Noted Polar Explorer Artur Chilingarov Dies At 84
Russian politician and Arctic explorer Artur Chilingarov in 2016