His death was announced by the Russian Kayaking and Canoeing Federation.

At Melbourne 1956, Kharin and his partner Gratsian Botev won the gold medals in the C-2 10,000 metres, the last time the event was held at the Olympics.

Kharin and Botev beat France’s Georges Dransart and Marcel Renaud by 46 seconds.

The following day, Kharin and Botev returned to take part in the C-1000m, narrowly missing another gold medal to Romania’s Alexe Dumitru and Simion Ismailciuc as they settled for the silver.

Kharin had also represented the Soviet Union at the 1952 Olympic Games in Helsinki, when he finished 10th and last in the C-1 10000m.

The following year he won the C-2 1000m and took silver in the C-2 10000m at the European Championships in Ghent, both times with Aleksandr Silayev, as Botev had become ill and could not compete.

Kharin was also crowned Soviet champion four times.

Following his performance at Melbourne 1956, Kharin was awarded the Honored Master of Sports of the USSR.

His success came after he had fought in the "Great Patriotic War," the term used in Russia to describe the conflict fought during World War Two from June 1941 to May 1954 along the many fronts of the Eastern Front.

Kharin, who served in the Soviet Navy, was awarded the Order of the Patriotic War II degree, the medal "For the Defence of Leningrad" and the medal "For the Victory over Germany".

Following his retirement from canoeing, Kharin became a factory worker. 

Kharin passed away on March 6, and was buried four days later at a ceremony in Saint Petersburg.

"The All-Russian Federation of Kayaking and Canoeing expresses its condolences to the relatives, friends, and colleagues of the deceased," the governing body said in a statement.

"We grieve with you."