Andrey Malanin, the head of the consular department at Russia’s embassy in Greece, has been found dead in his flat in Athens, Greek police say.

According to police, initial signs suggested 55-year-old Andrey Malanin died of natural causes, but they were investigating the death.

Andrey Malanin had failed to report for work on January 9 and did not answer his phone, Greek media said. He lived alone on a heavily guarded street.

Russian officials confirmed the consul’s death.

Image source Reuters

According to the Proto Tema website, Andrey Malanin’s colleagues accompanied by police went round to the apartment to check on the consul, but found the door locked from the inside.

Andrey Malanin was found lying on his bedroom floor. Police said the body had no visible injuries and there had been no obvious break-in.

Last month, Moscow’s ambassador to Turkey, Andrei Karlov, was assassinated, apparently in protest at Russian involvement in the bombardment of the Syrian city of Aleppo.