Prominent Russian opposition figure Boris Nemtsov shot dead

[Lite Beer]

Prominent Russian opposition figure Boris Nemtsov shot dead
LAURA MILLS, Associated Press
VLADIMIR ISACHENKOV, Associated Press

MOSCOW (AP) — Boris Nemtsov, a charismatic former deputy prime minister turned Russian opposition leader, was shot and killed in Moscow Saturday, officials said.

Nemtsov's death comes just a day before a planned protest against President Vladimir Putin's rule. The Kremlin said that Putin will personally oversee the investigation.

Nemtsov, who was 55, was a sharp critic of Putin, assailing the government's inefficiency, rampant corruption and the Kremlin's policy on Ukraine, which has strained Russia-West ties to a degree unseen since Cold War times.

The Russian Interior Ministry, which oversees Russia's police force, said that Nemtsov was shot four times from a passing car as he was walking a bridge just outside the Kremlin shortly after midnight.

Interior Ministry spokeswoman Yelena Alexeyeva told reporters on the scene that Nemtsov was walking with a female acquaintance, a Ukrainian citizen, when a vehicle drove up and unidentified assailants shot him dead. The woman wasn't hurt.

Opposition activist Ilya Yashin said on Ekho Moskvy radio that he last spoke with Nemtsov two days before the killing. Nemtsov was working on a report presenting evidence that he believed proved Russia's direct involvement in the separatist rebellion that erupted in eastern Ukraine last year.

Ukraine and the West have accused Russia of backing the rebels there with troops and weapons. Moscow has denied the accusations, but large numbers of sophisticated heavy weapons in the rebels' possession has strained the credibility of its denials.

Yashin said he had no doubt that Nemtsov's murder was politically motivated.

"Boris Nemtsov was a stark opposition leader who criticized the most important state officials in our country, including President Vladimir Putin. As we have seen, such criticism in Russia is dangerous for one's life," he said.

Political analyst Stanislav Belkovsky told Ekho Mosvky radio station that he did not believe that Nemtsov's death would in any way serve Putin's interests.

"But the atmosphere of hatred toward alternative thinkers that has formed over the past year, since the annexation of Crimea, may have played its role," Belkovsky said, referring to the surge of intense and officially endorsed nationalist discourse increasingly prevalent in Russia since it annexed Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula.

Nemtsov served a deputy prime minister in the 1990s and once was seen as a possible successor to Boris Yeltsin, Russia's first elected president. After Putin was first elected in 2000, Nemtsov became one of the most vocal critics of his rule. He helped organize street protests and has relentlessly exposed official corruption.

He was one of the organizers of the Spring March opposition protest set for Sunday, which comes amid a severe economic downturn in Russia caused by low oil prices and Western sanctions.

-- (c) Associated Press 2015-02-28

[joesanunu]

Better ending than a sprinkle of plutonium in your lunch.

[wooloomooloo]

Let's see what this weekend brings in Moscow.

[Somtamnication]

Can someone spell Civilsky Warsky? It is going to be hard to pacify the already pissed off oppositions.

[F430murci]

In his last tweet, Mr Nemtsov sent out an appeal for Russia's divided opposition to unite at an anti-war march he was planning for Sunday.

"If you support stopping Russia's war with Ukraine, if you support stopping Putin's aggression, come to the Spring March in Maryino on 1 March," he wrote.

Speaking earlier this month to Russia's Sobesednik news website, he had spoken of his fears for his own life.

"I'm afraid Putin will kill me," he said in the article on 10 February (in Russian).

I believe that he was the one who unleashed the war in the Ukraine," he said. "I couldn't dislike him more."

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-31669061

[koo wallety tourist]

very fast time line for this detailed story to appear. given it probably needed translation as well.

[oneday]

Putin eliminating the competition maybe?

[NeverSure]

The Guardian says he was shot 4 times in the back. Cowards.

RIP Mr. Nemtsov.

[SOTIRIOS]

...too obvious....another attempt to discredit or blame Putin....whose popularity is soaring....

[NeilSA1]

Better ending than a sprinkle of plutonium in your lunch.

Better not to have an ending.

[Paulc01]

Russia, where there is:

No opposition media left to speak of

No opposition political parties left to speak of

and, now,

No opposition. Period.

[PaulDee]

...too obvious....another attempt to discredit or blame Putin....whose popularity is soaring....

I'm certain that with Putin personally investigating the assassination, the 'truth' will soon be revealed.

[Scott]

A troll post has been removed.

[trainman34014]

Another bullet endorsed by Putin. It's not the first and it won't be the last. This evil little man is another Stalin in the making.

[Baerboxer]

...too obvious....another attempt to discredit or blame Putin....whose popularity is soaring....

I'm certain that with Putin personally investigating the assassination, the 'truth' will soon be revealed.

I expect he'll even out do that famous of the fame super sleuth Chalerm.

I bet Putin knows the killers initials by now,

[mercman24]

the perpretrator leading the investigation, CLASSIC

[Chicog]

...too obvious....another attempt to discredit or blame Putin....whose popularity is soaring....

I'm certain that with Putin personally investigating the assassination, the 'truth' will soon be revealed.

I am going to stay open on this one.

There seem to be many factions here with vested interests.

I'm going to speculate that Putin had a hand in it.

[humqdpf]

...too obvious....another attempt to discredit or blame Putin....whose popularity is soaring....

That is such a good joke - you are giving us heart attacks here with your irony!

Looking at the serious side, this has all the hallmarks of a professional hit ordered by the Kremlin - other person not touched, car able to drive away with no problem with the police in the middle of a major city. The message is clear - no need of poisoning with radioactive material here - if you follow this man, you can expect the same fate.

The idea that you could discredit Putin is ludicrous. This is a man who invades other sovereign countries, who throws people in prison on trumped up charges and steals their wealth, who sits on top of the most organized corrupt state known to man and who is known to have ordered the killings of those who opposed him. What more could a hit of an opposition politician add to that reputation?

[pendingo]

I wonder if people realise how significant this man's death will be in the coming months.

No matter how much Putin denies he had anything to do with it the world will not believe him.

The thing that scares me is this may well bring us closer to an all out war with Russia.

I can hear the hawks sabres rattling louder every day in the US and Europe.

[StasD]

RIP. He spent american money for young women efficiently. He was like a clown for Putin not enemy

[Asiantravel]

I wonder if people realise how significant this man's death will be in the coming months.

No matter how much Putin denies he had anything to do with it the world will not believe him.

The thing that scares me is this may well bring us closer to an all out war with Russia.

I can hear the hawks sabres rattling louder every day in the US and Europe.

" this may well bring us closer to an all out war with Russia."

Yeah well just as long as USA factors in that it will also be taking on China at the same time before making any stupid moves

China just sided with Russia over the Ukraine conflict

http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/02/27/us-china-ukraine-idUSKBN0LV0H120150227

[Filadog]

We could just have Barbara Walters ask Putin if he is responsible for this hit and watch his reaction.......again.

[lovetotravel]

RIP. He spent american money for young women efficiently. He was like a clown for Putin not enemy

Don't be disrespectful to an incredibly smart man. He was married, had 4 children and was highly educated. Along with holding many prominent positions in the Russian government.

Show some respect. He was one of the most outspoken critics of Putin. And for good reason.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boris_Nemtsov

Nemtsov was a candidate of physico-mathematical sciences and the author of more than 60 academic publications related to quantum physics, thermodynamics and acoustics. He is the author of a number of inventions including acoustics laser and a novel design of antennas for space apparatuses.^{[5] [6][7]}

[lovetotravel]

I wonder if people realise how significant this man's death will be in the coming months.

No matter how much Putin denies he had anything to do with it the world will not believe him.

The thing that scares me is this may well bring us closer to an all out war with Russia.

I can hear the hawks sabres rattling louder every day in the US and Europe.

" this may well bring us closer to an all out war with Russia."

Yeah well just as long as USA factors in that it will also be taking on China at the same time before making any stupid moves

China just sided with Russia over the Ukraine conflict

http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/02/27/us-china-ukraine-idUSKBN0LV0H120150227

You mean that fine, upstanding country that's aggressively grabbing land from other countries???? Seems China and Russia are doing the same thing:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_territorial_disputes#Asia_and_the_Pacific

[dabhand]

Sky news just reporting that the Russian authorities are linking the death to either Islamic extremists or the events in Ukraine.

So, nothing to do with Putin then. What a surprise.

[neverdie]

RIP. Putin would be behind this just like he was behind the attacks on the Ukraine & the downing of the Malaysian flight.

Putin is a coward and this sort of evill murder is right up his alley. Scumbag.

[lovetotravel]

RIP. Putin would be behind this just like he was behind the attacks on the Ukraine & the downing of the Malaysian flight.

Putin is a coward and this sort of evill murder is right up his alley. Scumbag.

With all due respect, it could be allies of Putin acting on their own. But basically being "protected" by Putin. Kinda like the shenanigans here the past few years. Depending on your political affiliation, certain things were overlooked. But not necessarily orchestrated by the people in power?????

[RickBradford]

Putin’s spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said the president would take the investigation into Nemtsov’s death under “personal control”

I bet he will.......

[F430murci]

RIP. He spent american money for young women efficiently. He was like a clown for Putin not enemy

Such comments speak volumes about the utter. Threats not clowns get asasinatrd, especially right in front of the Kremlin in a symbolic manner. I have heard only comments indicating Nemtov was very respected. In a typical Russian fashion (ala Magnitsky convicted of fraud in abstentio after being tortured and killed), Putin/ despicable people seek to ruin the names of brave and honorable Russians killed for trying to do what is right while knowing they may be killed.

I suppose you think Putin arrested and/or stole billions from Yevtushenkov Khodorkovsky, Trepashkin, Trepashkin, Berezovsky andcetc. because they were clowns.

I suppose you think the following people killed by Putin's hench men because they challenged Putin or were imvestigating his criminal activities were just clowns; Yushenkov, Shchekochikhin, Shchekochikhin, Magnitsky, Girenko, Klebnikov,, Yushchenko, Kozlov, Politkovskaya, Litvinenko, McGrory, Joyal, Markelov, Barburova, Politkovskaya, and the list goes on and on.

These people were actually brave and honorable people, unlike those who would refer to them as clowns or try to disparage their names after their deaths.

[F430murci]

This killing is reminiscent of Putin taking out politicians, journalists and former KGB investigators that were investigating and connecting Putin to the two apartment bombings that killed over 200 that Putin blamed on Checnya to win support for his war in Checnya when his approval ratings slipped below 50%.

I had wonder if we would start seeing people showing up dead after the leaked document last week detailing Putin's plans to take over Eastern Ukraine rven before Yanukovych fled to Russia.

This may turn out eerily similar to the Kovalev Commission deaths related to investigations of Putin's involvement in the Pechatniki and Kashirskoye apartment bombings to gain support for Purin's war in Checnya.