Soviet ex-KGB chief Leonid Shebarshin 'kills himself'

This has all the makings of a conspiracy...

A former head of the Soviet KGB foreign intelligence branch, Leonid Shebarshin, has apparently shot himself dead aged 77, Russian prosecutors and police say.

Leonid Shebarshin (seen here in 1991) recently celebrated his 77th birthday

Perhaps... I suppose...

Shebarshin was found dead with a gunshot wound at his flat in central Moscow, a ceremonial pistol by his side, police told news agencies.

A suicide note was reportedly also found at the scene.

A veteran of Soviet intelligence in South Asia and Iran, he led the KGB's First Chief Directorate from 1989-91. In 1991, he replaced coup plotter Vladimir Kryuchkov for two days as overall head of the KGB before he resigned himself, as the new post-Communist authorities set about dismantling the organisation.

As head of KGB operations in post-revolutionary Iran, he was expelled along with fellow officers in 1983. Previously he had served in India, Pakistan and Afghanistan, Russian media reports say.

BBC News Source Article

A suicide note (whereby the details are not being released due to the investigation)...but of course!

I didn't really put too much into it until I came across this ATS thread posted in 2005 (Link to the source article within that thread is 404'd unfortunately)...

NEWS: Soviet Intel Chief: US Anti-Terror War a Ruse

A quote from the OP in that thread:

A former head of Russian Intelligence has put it on the table: he states that the US has been using the War on Terror global initiative as a cover to seize the world's oil rich regions, and thus control the world's primary energy resource. There have been Russian mumblings about this before, but here is a prominent figure stating it in very clear terms.
The matter-of-fact style in which the former spy chief makes supporting observations suggests that the counter planning is in the works.

So, do we have a former Russian intelligence chief (who was, for two days even the head of the KGB) that was fed up with life and just decided to end it @ 77 years old?

Surely, not out of the realm of possibility.

Or, was he about to expose a smoking gun in regards to the War on Terror in which he touted "is a ruse" and was eloquently off'ed?

It's anyone's guess I suppose.

Does anyone care to take a shot (no pun intended) at why this gentleman decided to off himself? Only he knew the reason, which really could be just about anything, but, is there possibly enough information to support a possible conspiracy?

Suicide is usually purported to be the cause of death in the conspiracy arena. Even more when it's a high profile individual such as this fella was, in his era that is.

perhaps old age and the rigours of mortis were setting in. simplest of reasons and takes the wind out of the conspiracy sails. doesn't mean it's true, perhaps more will be revealed in due course.
f.

arkenstaniside?
what was the name of that x american intelligence head who decided to go canoeing in the middle of dinner on his sail boat and drowned?
Any how I think at that age these types sometimes get the urge to tell the truth.

suicide is ususally a smokimg gunners fate
the KGB must have some skeletons in its closet...who have gunfinger

now, if he had something nice to say..
would that be a reason to kill him?

Perhaps he was just a sickly old man in a lot of pain?

That happens a lot no matter what the country....

Soviet ex-KGB chief Leonid Shebarshin 'kills himself'

Riiiiiiiight.