Head of Russian spy agency Igor Korobov ‘dies aged 63 after a long illness’ 

Novichok spymaster DEAD: Russian GRU chief blamed for Salisbury attack and downing MH17 dies aged 63 after ‘a long and serious illness’

The head of Russia’s spy agency has reportedly died aged 63 ‘after a long illness’, it has been announced.

Russia’s TASS news agency reported that Colonel-General Igor Korobov, the man responsible for coordinating the response to the Salisbury spy poisoning in March this year, has died.

Last month, Korobov was said to have been in ‘sudden ill health’ after a dressing down from Russian President Vladimir Putin over ‘deep incompetence’ shown in the Salisbury poisonings and other international operations. 

Last month Korobov was said to have been in ‘sudden ill health’ after a dressing down from Vladimir Putin for his response to the Salisbury spy poisoning 

The 63-year-old reportedly emerged shaken and in ‘ill health’ after his confrontation with the furious Russian president.

Igor Korobov served as the Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation having earlier had an illustrious career in the military. 

Korobov’s predecessor Igor Sergun died suddenly back in January 2016 with many Russian news outlets saying the ‘circumstances surrounding his death were not clear’.

Two days after Sergun’s passing Russian tabloid newspaper Komsomolskaya Pravda claimed he had died from a heart attack in Moscow.  

But the theory was soon blasted by US based global intelligence company Stratfor who alleged he had died on New Years Day in Lebanon. 

Two months later, Lebanese newspaper Al Akhbar alleged Sergun was killed on a visit to Beirut in a ‘complicated secret mission’ carried out by unnamed Arab and Middle Eastern intelligence agencies.

However, the Kremlin stringently denied the allegations.  

Korobov was reportedly blamed for the response to the deaths of Sergey Skripal and his daughter Yulia who were poisoned by the chemical agent  novichok in Salisbury in March

Korobov was reportedly blamed for the response to the deaths of Sergey Skripal and his daughter Yulia who were poisoned by the chemical agent novichok in Salisbury in March

Colonel Korobov was also said to have drawn flak from Russian government officials for his handling of the MH17 downing

Colonel Korobov was also said to have drawn flak from Russian government officials for his handling of the MH17 downing

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