MOSCOW, March 14. /TASS/. Federation Council member representing the region of Tyumen, Mikhail Ponomaryov, died of cardiac arrest on Saturday at the age of 67, a source in the staff of the Russian parliament’s upper house has told TASS.

"Indeed, Ponomaryov has died of cardiac arrest. This has no relation to coronavirus. He was feeling well on Friday," the source said.

Ponomaryov, who also served as a deputy chair of the Federation Council’s economic policy committee, was born on January 1, 1954. His senatorial mandate was due to expire in September 2021. Before being elected as senator, Ponomaryov was a member of Tyumen’s regional legislature.

Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matviyenko confirmed the information in a letter of condolences, sent to Ponomaryov’s former colleague, speaker of Tyumen Regional Duma Sergei Korepanov.

"Being a responsible and experienced state official, Mikhail Nikolayevich devoted his entire life to serving the fatherland. He made a serious contribution to the social and economic development of Russian regions that make up the Urals Federal District, and represented Tyumen Region’s interests in the Federation Council with dignity," she said.