MOSCOW, February 25. /TASS/. Igor Malashenko, one of the founders of Russia’s NTV television channel, has suddenly passed away in Spain at the age of 64, journalist Timur Valeyev told TASS on Monday.

Valeyev worked with Malashenko in the election headquarters of Russian presidential contender Kseniya Sobchak last year.

"He has died in Spain where he had been living lately," the journalist said, without specifying the circumstances surrounding the NTV founder’s death.

Kseniya Sobchak also confirmed the death of Malashenko who had run her election campaign. In a talk with TASS, Sobchak said she "received the information from her friends."

As Editor-in-Chief of Echo of Moscow radio station Alexei Venediktov told TASS, he was shocked by the news of Malashenko’s death. "Everyone who I spoke to is horrified and shocked, indeed. He passed away at the age of 64."

Malashenko graduated from the philosophy department of Moscow State University and then worked at the Institute of US and Canadian Studies of the USSR Academy of Sciences.

From 1992, he was director general of the Ostankino TV and Radio Broadcasting Company and held the post of the NTV head from 1993 to 1997.

From 2000, Malashenko moved to live in the United States and also frequently visited Spain.