Putin's colonel in charge of carrying his nuclear briefcase appears shot at home

A Russian colonel carrying President Vladimir Putin's nuclear codes was found shot dead in his home

R. Gelfenstein - Vadim Zimin is a retired colonel of the Federal Security Service and was in charge of Russia's nuclear control portfolio, which still accompanies the head of the Kremlin.

Secret Zimin, 53, was later accused of taking a bribe in his new job as a customs officer. He is known to have played this role as an adviser to former President Boris Yeltsin.

His brother found him with gunshot wounds in the kitchen of his apartment in Krasnogorsk, Moscow region, lying in a pool of blood with a head wound and an Izh 79-9TM pistol next to him.

putler's bodyguard, who was carrying a "nuclear suitcase", was in critical condition in hospital. According to the 'Mirror', FSB Colonel Vadim Zimin, who was carrying a "nuclear suitcase" of #Russian presidents (Boris Yeltsin and putler),...
⬇️ pic.twitter.com/uUaawxuM4J

— Neil Hawker 🇺🇦 (@NeilHawker2) June 22, 2022

The incident occurred when Zimin was under criminal investigation on suspicion of accepting bribes after joining the customs service in a high-profile post, Moskovsky's local media reported. Komsomolets.

The briefcase, which has a custom key code, is normally under 24/7 surveillance and fully controls Moscow's nuclear arsenal. He would be overseen by an armed security guard accompanying Putin wherever he goes.