A top executive from Russia's state-controlled oil company, Rosneft, has been found dead in central Moscow, according to the Life.ru news site.

Oleg Erovinkin, Rosneft President Igor Sechin's chief of staff, was discovered in the back seat of a company Lexus by his driver, who alerted the emergency services.

According to Life.ru, the cause of death has not yet been determined. Officials from the Federal Security Service (FSB) have opened an investigation.

Later, Rosneft Press Secretary Mikhail Leontiev confirmed Erovinkin's death, saying that the 61-year-old had problems with his heart.



Oleg Erovinkin was appointed chief of staff for Rosneft by Vladimir Putin in May 2008. At the time, Sechin was serving as deputy prime minister.