ANKARA, June 12. /TASS/. A Russian national was stabbed to death by unidentified attackers in central Istanbul, a spokesman for the Russian consulate general in that city told TASS on Monday.

"We received information about the murder of a Russian national from Turkey’s law enforcement agencies at about 4:00 p.m. yesterday. An investigation is underway. We are waiting for the details," the spokesman said, adding that the Russian side has not yet been informed about whether the attackers were identified or not.

The Haberturk television channel said earlier that the Russian national was attacked by three criminals near the Taksim tourist square in Beyoglu neighborhood. The attackers tried to extort money from the Russian citizen, who was stabbed in the heart by one of them.