Russian President Vladimir Putin’s spokesman on Friday said Moscow expected Washington to provide “detailed official information” on Lesin’s death following media reports.
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Mikhail Lesin, who died at the Dupont Circle Hotel in November a year ago, also suffered blunt force injuries to the neck, torso, arms and legs, a report by District of Columbia’s Chief Medical Officer and police said.
Carew says police continue to investigate Lesin’s death.
The medical examiner did not clarify whether Lesin’s injuries were a result of an accident or an evidence of crime. The manner of death remained “undetermined” , the office’s statement said, and the incident is still under police investigation. “In view of the information that has emerged we intend to send them a request in order to get answers to questions that concern the Russian side”, the representative said. He served as minister for the affairs of the press, broadcasting and mass communications from 1999 to 2004 and as presidential adviser from 2004 to 2009.
Known as a tough and ambitious political operator, Lesin broke the stranglehold of the oligarchs on Russian media and ushered in the era in which the Kremlin controlled all major television stations.
ABC News has said Lesin had been accused of censoring Russia’s independent media.
Lesin, who helped launch the Russian English-language television network RT, was found dead in November at the age of 57.
Mikhail Lesin was a former Russian press minister and had led Gazprom-Media, Russia’s largest media company.
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Before Mr Lesin’s death, Roger Wicker, a U.S. senator from MS, asked the authorities whether the Russian had breached the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act by buying “multiple” homes worth millions of dollars in Los Angeles.
