A Mysterious Death in Washington

March 11, 2016 | 20:19 GMT

Russian President Vladimir Putin and former Press Minister Mikhail Lesin shake hands. (kremlin.ru)

Controversy is brewing between the United States and Russia over the mysterious death of a one-time Kremlin heavyweight in Washington. Mikhail Lesin, Russia's former press minister, died in the U.S. capital in November 2015. At the time, Lesin's family reported that he had suffered a fatal heart attack. But on March 10, Washington's medical examiner and police department announced that Lesin was killed by blunt force injuries to his head, neck and upper and lower torso.

At this point, it is too soon to definitively label Lesin's death an assassination ordered by the Kremlin. However, with tension once again rising between the United States and Russia, it is possible that Moscow is seeking to remind Washington of its long reach while also silencing a defector. Click here to continue reading…