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State Duma lawmaker, former FSB head Nikolay Kovalyov dies aged 69

"Nikolay Dmitrievich made a serious contribution into the development of the anti-terrorism legislation," speaker Vyacheslav Volodin said

Nikolay Kovalyov Marat Abulkhatin/State Duma's photo service/TASS

Nikolay Kovalyov

© Marat Abulkhatin/State Duma's photo service/TASS

MOSCOW, April 6. /TASS/. Nikolay Kovalyov, a member of the lower chamber of the Russian parliament (the State Duma) and the head of Russia’s state security service FSB in 1996-1998, died on Friday at the age of 69.

State Duma speaker Vyacheslav Volodin said Kovalyov was elected to the State Duma five times, representing various regions.

"Nikolay Dmitrievich devoted his whole life to serving his fatherland. He was known for his highly principled stance, professionalism and readiness to take responsibility for the decisions he had made," the State Duma’s press service quoted Volodin as saying in a statement.

"Nikolay Dmitrievich made a serious contribution into the development of the anti-terrorism legislation," the statement reads. "His vast experience in the anti-terrorism sphere was recognized not only in Russia, but also abroad, as he worked as the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s special representative for counter-terrorism."

A parliament source earlier told TASS that Kovalyov, who headed FSB between 1996 and 1998, died at the age of 69 after a long illness.

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