Russia's ambassador to Sudan, Mirgayas Shirinsky, was found dead at his Khartoum residence on Wednesday, the Sudanese foreign ministry said.Photo courtesy of Russian MFA

"The Russian ambassador died this evening at his Khartoum residence," the ministry said.The ministry did not provide a cause of death, but Shirinskiy was known to have suffered from high blood pressure, a spokesman for the police told Reuters.

Sudan's foreign ministry expressed its condolences to Russia in a statement, hailing Shirinskiy's diplomatic efforts.