‘Former security guard of nuclear suitcase Russian president shot dead’ Abroad

It is still unclear whether 53-year-old Zimin killed himself or was shot in the head by someone else in his kitchen in an apartment in Krasnogorsk. The victim’s brother was in the bathroom at the time of the shooting. A Russian IZH-79-9TM pistol, also known as the Makarych, was found near the colonel’s body. His wife is a doctor and is said to have been away from home to patch up wounded soldiers from the war zone in Ukraine.

Zimin was suspected of corruption after being promoted within the Russian customs, reports the Moskovsky Komsomolets, a Moscow daily. He had retired from the security services and previously carried the secret briefcase containing nuclear codes for Boris Yeltsin, who was president from 1991 to 1999. It is believed that Moscow’s most secure briefcase contains one of the keys to activate Russia’s nuclear (missile) systems. Remarkably enough, this does not work with a red but white button. The code can never be entered by a single person; according to Russian media there are at least three such suitcases.

The somewhat mysterious Zimin, about whom little is known, also worked for current President Vladimir Putin. But it is not clear what function he performed under him.

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