Russian journalist and writer Andrei Konstantinov has died in St. Petersburg, the news website Fontanka reported on Wednesday.
Konstantinov, 60, was suffering from a severe illness, Fontanka said.
Born in the Astrakhan region, Konstantinov was the founder of news websites Fontanka, 47news and the Agency for Investigative Journalism.
He was the author of "Banditsky Petersburg" (Gangland St. Petersburg), a hugely popular crime series about St. Petersburg criminal subcultures, and other detective novels.
Konstantinov also served as the head of the St. Petersburg Union of Journalists from 2004-2011 and worked at St. Petersburg State University at the Faculty of Journalism from 1998-2014.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
![](["https:\/\/img.youtube.com\/vi\/J2x0jSLUNg0\/maxresdefault.jpg","https:\/\/img.youtube.com\/vi\/J2x0jSLUNg0\/hqdefault.jpg","https:\/\/img.youtube.com\/vi\/J2x0jSLUNg0\/default.jpg","https:\/\/static.themoscowtimes.com\/img\/article_video.jpg"])
