Russian President Vladimir Putin has expressed his condolences to the family and friends of Emergencies Minister Evgeny Zinichev, who died on Wednesday while “trying to save a person’s life” during drills in the Arctic.

In a message published on the Kremlin website, Putin described Minister Zinichev as a “reliable and faithful friend” and a “professional of the highest rank.”

“We have lost a true combat officer, a comrade, a man close to all of us, of great inner strength, courage and bravery,” the president said. “For me, it is an irreplaceable personal loss.”

Paying Attention Comrades?