Shocking footage has emerged of a Russian anaesthetist punching a helpless heart patient as he lay strapped to a bed in intensive care.

Andrey Votyakov is seen hitting the man in the face and punching him in the chest while he is strapped to a bed.

The man later died at the Federal Centre for Cardiovascular Surgery in Perm, a city in the Urals, although his death is not believed to be linked to the attack.

Download the new Independent Premium app Sharing the full story, not just the headlines

The highly-regarded anaesthetist said he had punched the man when tired after a 36-hour shift.

The doctor became angry after the patient started abusing him.

According to reports Votyakov told Russian media: "As soon as I came into the room with my team he started to call me various derogative names. And I just got blown away by it.

"We had spent so much time with his very complicated case to help him recover and he said not a single word of gratitude.

"And then the chronic tiredness added to it. I got carried away, and I punched him several times at the presence of my colleagues.

"We continued the treatment after the incident, but sadly the patient died.

"I am very sorry for what happened and I want to apologise first of all to the patient himself and his family."