Cryptographer who died by suicide at Russia’s embassy in Cyprus contacted Lavrov and an SVR lieutenant colonel before arriving on the island Anton Panov, a Russian cryptographer who reportedly died by suicide at the Russian embassy in Cyprus, had connections to senior figures in the Foreign Ministry, including Minister Sergey Lavrov and his advisors. Panov also maintained contact with individuals linked to Russian intelligence services, such as the SVR, and a Luhansk-based informant known as “Sasha Sniper.”

• Anton Panov, a Russian cryptographer, died by apparent suicide at the Russian embassy in Cyprus.
• Panov had connections to senior figures in the Russian Foreign Ministry, including Minister Sergey Lavrov.
• He also communicated with an SVR military unit involved in cyberintelligence.
• Panov had contact with Sergei Tsekov, who is wanted by Ukraine, and Alexander Borisov (“Sasha Sniper”), a Luhansk-based informant.
• Panov previously worked as a cryptographer at the FSB’s Atlas Scientific and Technical Center.
• His appointment to the Foreign Ministry was reportedly facilitated by an aide to LDPR leader Leonid Slutsky.
• Panov maintained contact with his former classmates from an FSO academy.
• The Russian Embassy in Cyprus reported Panov’s death without specifying a cause, initially describing him as an “embassy employee.”
• Reports suggest Panov was an SVR officer and cryptographer who was also an avid gambler.