MOSCOW. July 28 (Interfax-AVN) - Colonel General Valery Belayev, a former chief-of-staff of the Russian Airborne Troops, has committed suicide.
Spokesman for the Airborne Troops Colonel Nikolai Bragin told Interfax-Military News Agency that "General Belayev shot himself with his own pistol in the early hours of Monday."
Law enforcement sources told Interfax-AVN that suicide is viewed at the main theory behind Belayev's death. "According to Belayev's wife, prior to his suicide, the general said: 'All my friends are dead and there is no reason for me to live'," one of the sources said.
He noted that the general's close friend, Colonel General Yevgeny Podkolzin, a former Airborne Troops commander, died 40 days ago.
Belayev, 60, served as chief-of-staff of the Airborne Troops in 1991-1998.