Head of the Ural division of Rostechnadzor (the state environmental and technological safety watchdog) Andrei Korolev suddenly passed away on April 18, 2007, reports Rostechnadzor’s press officer.

Andrei N. Korolev was born on June 10, 1958 in Yekaterinburg. He graduated from Ural State Technical University (Department of Physics) in 1981 and was involved in political activity in 1981-1986; then he moved on to become employed at Ural Mechanic-Electrical Plant in 1986-1988 and was promoted to the director of a potassium producing company in 1998-1991. He went back to politics in 1992 and worked as head of Ricap-Fund (an investment fund) in 1992-1994. Mr. Korolev was appointed Deputy Head of Sverdlovsk Region Administration in 1994; he also ran Ural Accent Fund and Ural Venture Fund. Mr. Korolev was awarded with the Order of Friendship of Peoples and a medal signifying his work achievements. He was appointed Head of Sverdlovsk Region division of Rostechnadzor on June 28, 2005 and Head of Ural Federal District division of Rostechnadzor on October 10, 2006.