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Medvedev grieves over death of legendary intelligence officer

Gevork Vartanyan, who was awarded an honorary title of Hero of the Soviet Union, passed away at Botkin hospital in Moscow at the age of 87

MOSCOW, January 11 (Itar-Tass) — President Dmitry Medvedev has expressed condolences to relatives and friends of legendary intelligence officer Gevork Vartanyan who passed away at Botkin Hospital in Moscow.

"Gevork Andreyevich Vartanyan - a legendary intelligence agent, a genuine patriot of his country, a bright and extraordinary person, is gone. He took part in splendid operations which went down in the history of the Russian foreign intelligence service. His death is an irretrievable loss to his family and all those who knew and highly appreciated the legendary man," Medvedev said in a telegram of condolences, the Kremlin press service said on Wednesday.

Gevork Vartanyan, who was awarded an honorary title of Hero of the Soviet Union, passed away at Botkin hospital in Moscow at the age of 87.

The Armenian National Security Service has declared in connection with the hero's death, "There are quite a few pages in the history of the Soviet Foreign Intelligence Service which glorify the outstanding sons of the Armenian people the men of honor who are faithful to their duty and of whom any country can be proud of. In this bright constellation an undisputedly honorable place belongs to Hero of the Soviet Union, an intelligence agent who worked undercover abroad, Colonel Gevork Andreyevich Vartanyan and his wife, Goar Levonovna Vartanyan," the Armenian National Security Service said.

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