People’s artist of USSR Mstislav Zapashny died in Sochi on 79-m to year of life.

On the death of the trainer announced today his nephew Edgard Zapashny, Director General of the Great Moscow circus. Mstislav was 78 years old.

He was born in 1938 in the famous circus family – his mother Lydia covered with a wrapped was also a circus artist, daughter of famed eccentric Karl Thompson.

Together with his brothers, Igor and Walter, the father of Edgard and Askold, Mstislav participated in the creation of the famed circus group “Brothers Zapashny”. Together, they performed stunts that are never been done: for example, the number “Acrobats-voltiger on horses.” Zapashny has also created the world’s only performance in which elephants and tigers were in the same cage.

But he was known not only as the trainer of predatory animals, but also as Director, for what repeatedly received the highest awards in the field of circus arts. From may 2003 to December 2009 Zapashny managed the company “Rosgostsirk”. However, recent years, the profession is not engaged.

“It’s a real circus dynasty. Mstislav was the head of “Unique”, but after he left the company, he became seriously ill. Very sorry,” – said Joseph Kobzon, RIA “Novosti”.

Farewell to the famous trainer will be held on Monday at the arena of the Circus on Vernadsky Prospekt. And he will be buried on the Domodedovsky cemetery next to his mother, as he requested.