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A Russian television chef, who was an outspoken critic of President Vladimir Putin's war in Ukraine, has been found dead in Serbia, the BBC reported. Alexei Zimin, 52, was considered a household name in Russia before he left the country after criticising the Kremlin's annexation of Crimea in 2014. He set up his new home and businesses in London but remained the host of a popular cookery show on Russian broadcaster NTV. However, the show was axed after he posted an anti-war message on social media following the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Mr Zimin was found dead in a hotel room in Belgrade, the BBC reported citing Russian media. He had travelled to the Serbian capital to promote his new book about Britain Anglomania.
Serbian authorities have said that there were "no suspicious circumstances" related to Mr Zimin's death and that an autopsy and toxicology report was ongoing.
Katerina Ternovskaya, co-owner of the restaurant where the 52-year-old had presented his book, said people were "in shock" adding that "the last time we have seen him, he was smiling and in a great mood". "The dinner was wonderful and Alexei was very happy," she said.
Mr Zimin's restaurant in the UK also confirmed the chef's death on Instagram. "To us, Alexei was not only a colleague but also a friend, a close companion with whom we shared many experiences - good, kind, and at times sorrowful," the restaurant said. "We are profoundly grateful for the kind words we have received today in Alexei's memory. We share this painful loss with you. The entire ZIMA team extends our heartfelt condolences to Alexei's family and mourns alongside them," it added.
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Notably, Mr Zimin was a prominent critic of Russia's war in Ukraine. After he posted a video on social media of him singing an anti-war song, his Russian TV show 'Cooking with Alexei Zimin' was abruptly cancelled by the network NTV.
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At the beginning of the war in 2022, the chef also wrote several anti-war statements on Instagram saying, "bring our soldiers home" and "The idea is unoriginal. Stop the war. Withdraw troops and bring our soldiers home".
"Like everyone who grew up in the USSR, I was brought up with the fairly common sense belief that war is the worst thing that can happen. There is no excuse for it and even if there were, now it's too late to make excuses. As Rosenbaum sang. Gotta stop this madness and 'War is not poker'" he said.
Since moving to the UK, Mr Zimin reportedly had not been back to Russia. He previously said that he and his restaurant Zima in central London, which has donated money to Ukrainian refugees, had been the target of threats.