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Assassination of Boris Nemtsov

Coordinates: 55°45′00″N 37°37′26″E / 55.75000°N 37.62389°E / 55.75000; 37.62389
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Murder of Boris Nemtsov
Flowers and candles near the site of Nemtsov's murder
LocationBolshoy Moskvoretsky Bridge,[1] Moscow
Coordinates55°45′00″N 37°37′26″E / 55.75000°N 37.62389°E / 55.75000; 37.62389
Date27 February 2015 (2015-02-27)
23:31[2] (UTC+03:00)
TargetBoris Nemtsov
Attack type
Murder,
drive-by shooting
WeaponsMakarov pistol[3]
Deaths1

Boris Nemtsov (born 9 October 1959), a Russian statesman and opposition politician, was murdered in central Moscow at 23:31 (Moscow time) on 27 February 2015.[4]

Events

Nemtsov was shot dead while crossing the Bolshoy Moskvoretsky Bridge

Nemtsov was shot and killed crossing the Bolshoy Moskvoretsky Bridge[1] near the Kremlin walking home after a meal out, in the company of his Ukrainian girlfriend Anna Durytska, who was not harmed.[5]

TV Tsentr's video of the bridge at the time of the murder shows that it occurred as a municipal utility vehicle was passing by Nemtsov and a person is seen escaping from the scene in a white or grey automobile.[6][7]

The killing happened the day before Nemtsov was due to lead the opposition march Vesna (Russian for "spring"), a street demonstration organised to protest against economic conditions in Russia and against the war in Ukraine.

According to the Russian newspaper Kommersant, at the time of the murder all the security cameras in the area were switched off for maintenance.[8] The only video of the incident was obtained from the video feed camera of TV Tsentr studio, from a long distance. At the time of the killing, the camera was blocked by a stopped municipal vehicle.[8] The killer was apparently waiting for Nemtsov on a side stairway leading to the bridge. At least six shots were fired, four of which hit Nemtsov; one wound was mortal. [8] According to Kommersant sources the killer used as a weapon either a standard Makarov pistol or most probably an IZh gas pistol modified for use with lethal ammunition. [8]

According to a witness ("a young man named Victor M, that followed Nemtsov")[9] the killer was a man of 170-175 cm height, short haircut, medium build, dressed in jeans and a brown sweater. Shortly before his death on 10 February 2015 Nemtsov stated that he was afraid Putin was going to have him killed due to his opposition to the war in Ukraine.[10]

Investigation

Russian President Vladimir Putin instructed the Investigative Committee, Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Federal Security Service to create a single team to investigate the assassination of Nemtsov.[11] The investigation team is headed by Igor Krasnov, who had previously investigated an attempt on the life of Anatoly Chubais and the murders of Stanislav Markelov and Anastasia Baburova.[12] The team is supervised by the head of the Investigative Committee in Moscow general Alexander Drymanov. Drymanov has also supervised the investigation against Nadezhda Savchenko, the second trial against Mikhail Khodorkovsky and Platon Lebedev, as well as the charges of genocide during Russo-Georgian War against Georgian military.[9] Investigators have speculated that the assassination could have been "a provocation aimed at destabilising the country" or that it was motivated by "Islamic extremism".[13] Independent sources have dismissed such speculations by referring to them as "conspiracy theories",[14] and The Guardian noted that the only explanation that is not being considered by the authorities is the "blindingly obvious one" that Nemtsov was killed for his criticism of Putin.[15] A Kremlin spokesman said "It is too early to make any sort of conclusions but we can say with 100% certainty that it is a provocation."[16]

During the night following the assassination, Nemtsov's apartment on Malaya Ordynka street was searched and all documents and materials related to his business and political activities were confiscated.[17][18]

On 28 February, a white Lada Priora car possibly belonging to the assassin(s) was found abandoned. Russian state media reported that the car had a number-plate originating in the Republic of Ingushetia, although initial witnesses had stated that the white car involved in the shooting did not have any license plates.[19]

A cash reward of 3 million rubles (~43,000 euros) is being offered for any information leading to the arrest and conviction of the killer.[20]

Reactions

UN member and observer states

 Russian Federation:

March in memory of Boris Nemtsov in Moscow, 1 March 2015. Sight from the inside #5. Remand.
March in memory of Boris Nemtsov in Moscow, 1 March 2015. Sight from the inside #9. Flag of Ukraine.
People gathered at the site of Boris Nemtsov's murder, 28 February 2015
March in memory of Boris Nemtsov in Moscow, 1 March 2015
Moscow march for Nemtsov, 1 March 2015, the sign in the front says "The murderers are in the Kremlin"
Moscow march for Nemtsov, 1 March 2015
  • The President, Vladimir Putin, telegrammed Nemstov's 86-year-old mother, Dina Eydman, expressing his condolences and adding, "We will do everything to ensure that the perpetrators of this vile and cynical crime and those who stand behind them are properly punished."[21] Putin also announced shortly after Nemtsov's death that he would launch and personally oversee an investigation.[22]
  • Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev expressed his condolences to the families.[23]
  • Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the murder was a 'filthy' crime and it would be investigated with utmost vigor.[24]
  • Head of the Chechen Republic, Ramzan Kadyrov accused western agencies saying "Boris Nemtsov was killed in the center of Moscow. Only those forces interested in fomenting tensions could take such a treacherous step. The organizers of Nemtsov's murder hoped to make the whole world blame the leadership of the country and to cause a wave of protests. There is no doubt that Nemtsov's murder was organized by Western intelligence services, seeking any means to cause internal conflict in Russia." He also stated that he wants to see the perpetrators of the attack brought to justice and expressed his condolences to the victim's relatives.[25][26]

 Ukraine:

  • President Petro Poroshenko: "Shock. They killed Boris. It's hard to believe. I have no doubt the killers will be found. Sooner or later. Eternal memory..." "He said he would reveal persuasive evidence of the involvement of Russian armed forces in Ukraine. Someone was very afraid of this ... They killed him."[27][28] On 3 March 2015, he posthumously awarded Nemtsov with the Order of Liberty.[29]
  • Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk: "Patriot of Russia, at same time a friend of Ukraine. This is what will remain in our memory of Boris Nemtsov. RIP."[30]

 Canada:

 Estonia:

  • President Toomas Hendrik Ilves expressed his condolences over the death of "a personal friend and a friend of Estonia, who was a great democrat and a courageous fighter for freedom".[32]

 Finland:

  • President Sauli Niinistö stated that "the murder of Boris Nemtsov was a ferocious and reprehensible act". He suspected political reasons behind the killing and expressed his worries over the consequences.[33]

 Latvia:

  • MFA Edgars Rinkēvičs stated that the "murder of Boris Nemtsov is a proof of the lunacy that rules in Russia". Expressing his condolences to the family, he also stated his disbelief in the possibility of any real objective investigation taking place.[34]

 Lithuania:

  • Dalia Grybauskaitė said the "murder of Boris Nemtsov shows that Russia is sliding down into the darkness of terror against its own people".[35]

 United States:

  • President Barack Obama called Nemtsov's death a "brutal murder" and called for a "prompt, impartial and transparent investigation".[36]
  • Secretary of State John Kerry said the United States had no information on the murder of Nemtsov and "wouldn't comment anyway".[37][38]

 Germany:

  • Chancellor Angela Merkel condemned the killing in Moscow of opposition politician Boris Nemtsov, described the incident as "a vile murder" and urged the Russian authorities to find and punish those responsible.[39]

 Hungary:

  • Prime Minister Viktor Orbán expressed his sympathy on behalf of Hungary to Nemtsov's family and also said they "expect the Russian government to create the conditions for a full investigation."[40]

 France:

  • President François Hollande strongly condemned the killing in Moscow and described Nemtsov as "a bold, never-tiring defender of democracy and a resolute fighter against corruption."[39]

 Sweden:

  • Minister for Foreign Affairs Margot Wallström said: "I think everyone is deeply taken by the assassination of Nemtsov. It's an execution. And it is clear that this reinforces the image of Putin's reign of terror when it comes to security, human rights and democracy. This is furthermore one more name to be added to the already long list of, not least journalists, who have lost their lives".[41]

 United Kingdom:

  • The Prime Minister, David Cameron, said that he was "shocked and sickened" by the murder and said the "callous" killing "must be fully, rapidly and transparently investigated, and those responsible brought to justice".[42]

Supranational bodies

 European Union:

 Council of Europe:

Non-governmental reactions

In Russia

  • The co-chairman of the RPR-Parnas, Mikhail Kasyanov, called the killing "outrage beyond imagination".[44]
  • Leonid Gozman believes that the death of Boris Nemtsov is a message for the whole opposition in the Russian Federation.[45]
  • Mikhail Khodorkovsky called the slaying his "personal grief".[46]
  • Garry Kasparov tweeted "Devastated to hear of the brutal murder of my long-time opposition colleague Boris Nemtsov. Shot 4 times, once for each child he leaves."[47] Criticizing "24/7 propaganda about enemies of the state",[48] Kasparov said "When they started displaying pictures of Boris and other prominent oppositionists around the city and on TV, it was an invitation to execute them."[49]
He said, "Opposition leaders are always watched closely by Russia’s security services before public rallies—Boris had been planning a protest against the Ukraine war on Sunday—so how could these trained bloodhounds not notice that someone else was following him?"[50] He criticized statements from Western leaders who had "done so much to appease the Kremlin," which he called "a criminal rogue regime", and condemned the Russian media for "[churning] out preposterous and insulting conspiracy theories about the death of a man they had called an enemy of the state."[50]
  • The vice-dean of a department of Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, where Boris's son, Anton Nemtsov, is a student, published a statement: "The Americans themselves created this sleazeball, themselves financed him, themselves killed him. It is the fate of all prostitutes. Yesterday evening there became one sleazeball less."[51] After a collective letter from the students the institute apologized to Anton Nemtsov.[52][53][54][55]
  • Henri Reznik accused the Russian mass media of escalating the hate campaign against opposition which could have easily "attracted one of the sociopaths". He also criticised president Putin for announcing the intended direction of the investigation to be a "provocation" shortly after the murder, which, taking into account "the psychology of our law enforcement" will inevitably lead to turning the investigation into "a search for confirmations for the presidential version".[56]
  • Parliament member Dmitry Gudkov said that officials had created "the hostile atmosphere of hate in the country—they should feel guilty today for this cold murder. Even today I heard from ... members in the parliament that we, the opposition, are ‘the fifth column,’ agents of the USA."[57] Alexei Makarkin of the Center for Political Technologies stated that Nemtsov's murder "demonstrates to what extent hatred has been legitimized or even sanctioned in Russia," saying that Russia's media coverage of the war in Ukraine had portrayed individuals as "patriots" or "enemies."[58] Yevgeny Yasin, Russia's former economy minister, stated that "Nemtsov always said everything that others were afraid to say."[59]
  • On the morning of February 28, the opposition party RPR-PARNAS announced a gathering on the Bolshoy Moskvoretsky Bridge in Moscow, where Nemtsov was shot.[60]

A spontaneous memorial took place at the scene of the murder. People carried flowers along with posters emblazoned Je suis Boris, as an echo of the Je suis Charlie response to the Charlie Hebdo shooting two months earlier in Paris.[61]

Outside Russia

In Armenia, a parliamentary opposition party, the Armenian National Congress, released a statement condemning the murder.[62] The independent opposition MP Nikol Pashinyan offered condolences to Nemtsov's family and stated that his murder is a "major challenge" for Russia to overcome.[63]

The speaker of the Polish Senate, Bogdan Borusewicz, said that Nemtsov "fell victim" to "a chauvinistic campaign against people who do not agree with imperialistic policies and aggression against a neighbouring country."[64]

Media reactions

Leonid Bershidsky of the Bloomberg View stated that "In recent months, Putin's propaganda machine has been vigorously inciting Russians against the 'fifth column' -- those who protested against the annexation of Crimea and the Kremlin-instigated war in eastern Ukraine. Nemtsov was on every list of traitors published on the Internet and aired on state TV."[65] In the The Daily Telegraph, Ben Judah wrote that the Kremlin "either ordered or allowed [Nemtsov's murder] to happen", saying that "Nothing Boris Nemtsov did was not bugged, tailed, filmed or monitored by the secret police. It is quite simply impossible that this man could have been shot dead without the Kremlin knowing there was a plot afoot to kill him."[66] Some saw parallels with the murder of Sergey Kirov in 1934.[67][68] Brian Whitmore, writing for Radio Free Europe, stated that the murder indicated the development of a "hybrid Great Terror campaign" against Putin's opposition.[69]

The host of Shuster Live, Savik Shuster, announced the killing of Boris Nemtsov live on television, and asked the audience for a minute's silence in honor of Nemtsov.[70]

Funeral

Nemtsov was buried on 3 March 2015 at the Troyekurovskoe Cemetery in Moscow.[59] Several politicians were not allowed to attend the funeral. The Russian foreign ministry barred a Latvian member of the European Parliament, Sandra Kalniete, accusing her of "anti-Russian activities."[71] Kalniete stated that "Since I have always taken a clear and explicit language on Russia’s role in Ukraine, I had suspicions that it could happen."[72] The president of the European Parliament, Martin Schulz, called the ban a "high affront."[72] Bogdan Borusewicz, the speaker of the Polish Senate, was also barred.[64] A Russian court decided not to grant the request of Alexei Navalny, a Russian opposition leader jailed for 15 days for distributing fliers, for a temporary release to attend the funeral.[73]

See also

References

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  2. ^ ТВЦ опубликовал запись с зафиксировавшей убийство Бориса Немцова камеры Template:Ru icon
  3. ^ Ostroukh, Andrey; Kolyandr, Alexander (28 February 2015). "Russia Probes Motives in assassination of Putin Critic Boris Nemtsov". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 28 February 2015.
  4. ^ "Source: Boris Nemtsov assassinated in Moscow". Kommersant. Russia. 28 February 2015. Retrieved 28 February 2015.
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  11. ^ "Announced the main version of the assassination of Boris Nemtsov". Interfax. Retrieved 28 February 2015.
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  13. ^ "Песков назвал убийство Немцова "стопроцентной" провокацией".
  14. ^ "The Boris Nemtsov Murder Conspiracy Theories". The Daily Beast. Retrieved 2 March 2015.
  15. ^ "Why we will never know who killed Boris Nemtsov". The Guardian. Retrieved 2 March 2015.
  16. ^ "Песков назвал убийство Немцова "стопроцентной" провокацией".
  17. ^ "В квартире Немцова проводится обыск". RBK (in Russian). Russia. 28 February 2015. Retrieved 28 February 2015. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
  18. ^ "The apartment is being searched Boris Nemtsov". Life News. Retrieved 28 February 2015.
  19. ^ "Nemtsov killing: A chilling historical parallel?". CNN. Retrieved 2 March 2015.
  20. ^ "Правоохранительные органы пообещали 3 млн рублей за информацию об убийстве Немцова". Interfax. Retrieved 1 March 2015.
  21. ^ "Boris Nemtsov murder prompts Putin 'justice' pledge". BBC. 28 February 2014. Retrieved 28 February 2015.
  22. ^ "Putin instructs SK, MVD, and FSB that investigation into Nemtsov killing will be under his personal control". TASS. Russia. 28 February 2015. Retrieved 28 February 2015.
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  24. ^ "Lavrov: Nemtsov killing a 'filthy' crime, will be investigated with utmost vigor". RT. Retrieved 2 March 2015.
  25. ^ "Кадыров обвинил киевские спецслужбы в убийстве Немцова". Lenta.ru. Russia. Retrieved 3 March 2015.
  26. ^ "Instagam". Instagam. Russia. Retrieved 3 March 2015.
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  28. ^ "Nemtsov planned to reveal Russian links to Ukraine conflict - Poroshenko". Reuters. trust.org. 28 February 2015.
  29. ^ "Петр Порошенко посмертно наградил Бориса Немцова орденом Свободы". Kommersant. 3 March 2015.
  30. ^ "Reaction to death of Boris Nemtsov". BBC News. 28 February 2015.
  31. ^ "Boris Nemtsov's murder a 'shameful act of violence'". Toronto Sun. Canada. 28 February 2015.
  32. ^ "Ilves: leinan Eesti ja enda sõpra". Postimees (in Estonian). 28 February 2015. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
  33. ^ "Presidentti Niinistö: Nemtsovin ampuminen julma ja tuomittava teko" (in Finnish). Yle. Retrieved 28 February 2015. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
  34. ^ "Rinkēvičs: Ņemcova slepkavība ir apliecinājums vājprātam, kas valda Krievijā". tvnet.lv (in Latvian). {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
  35. ^ Grybauskaitė, Dalia (27 February 2015). "Murder of Boris Nemtsov shows that Russia slides down to darkness of terror against its own people". Twitter.
  36. ^ "Russia opposition politician Boris Nemtsov shot dead". BBC. 28 February 2015. Retrieved 28 February 2015.
  37. ^ "Керри заявил об отсутствии у США сведений относительно убийства Немцова".
  38. ^ "John Kerry: No intelligence on Nemtsov murder".
  39. ^ a b c "European politicians are shocked by the murder Nemtsov". zn.ua. Retrieved 28 February 2015.
  40. ^ "Orbán Viktor együttérzését fejezte ki a meggyilkolt Borisz Nyemcov családjának". Government of Hungary. Retrieved 1 March 2015.
  41. ^ "Wallström: Nemtsov killing 'an execution'". TT Nyhetsbyrån/The Local). 1 March 2015.
  42. ^ "David Cameron says 'callous murder' of Boris Nemtsov must be rapidly investigated". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 28 February 2015.
  43. ^ "Boris Nemtsov killed in the center of Moscow". kommersant.ru. Retrieved 28 February 2015.
  44. ^ "Kasyanov called the killing of Nemtsov "outrage beyond imagination"". RBC. Russia. Retrieved 28 February 2015.
  45. ^ "Murder of Nemtsov was seen as a message to all the opposition". Sobesednik (in Russian). Russia. 28 February 2015.
  46. ^ "Khodorkovsky called the killing of Nemtsov a personal grief". RBC. Russia. Retrieved 28 February 2015.
  47. ^ "Garry Kasparov on Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved 3 March 2015.
  48. ^ "Garry Kasparov on Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved 3 March 2015.
  49. ^ Baryshnikov, Valentin (2 March 2015). "Kasparov: 'Putin Is Accountable For This Bloodshed'". RFERL.
  50. ^ a b Kasparov, Garry (1 March 2015). "Putin's Culture of Fear and Death". Wall Street Journal.
  51. ^ Американцы сами мразь породили, финансировали ее, сами же и убрали. Такова судьба всех проституток. Вчера вечером на одну мразь стало меньше.
  52. ^ "«Одной мразью стало меньше» или реакция зам.декана ФХМФ на смерть отца студента МФТИ". MIPT Stream.
  53. ^ "Студенты МФТИ извинились перед сыном Немцова за комментарий замдекана". Meduza. 2 March 2014.
  54. ^ "МФТИ извинился перед семьей Немцова за «вызывающий комментарий» замдекана". Meduza. 2 March 2014.
  55. ^ "Официальная страница Московского физико-технического института". 2 March 2015.
  56. ^ ""Отмашку на это преступление дала власть", - известный московский адвокат Генри Резник об убийстве Немцова". Censor.net.ua. 3 March 2015. Retrieved 3 March 2015.
  57. ^ Nemtsova, Anna (27 February 2015). "Boris Nemtsov, Heart of Russia's Opposition, Gunned Down in Moscow". The Daily Beast.
  58. ^ Nechepurenko, Ivan (28 February 2015). "Analysts Blame Nemtsov's Death on Russia's 'Legitimized Hate'". The Moscow Times.
  59. ^ a b Smith-Spark, Laura; Eshchenko, Alla; Chance, Matthew (3 March 2015). "Mourners pay respects at Boris Nemtsov's funeral in Russia". CNN.
  60. ^ "Оппозиция объявила сбор на месте убийства Немцова". meduza.io (in Russian). 28 February 2015. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
  61. ^ "На месте убийства Немцова появились листовки Je suis Boris". RIA Novosti. MIA "Russia Today". Retrieved 2 March 2015.
  62. ^ "ՀԱԿ-ը դատապարտում է Բորիս Նեմցովի դաժան սպանությունը". news.am (in Armenian). 28 February 2015.
  63. ^ Sargssyan Studio - Web & Graphic Design. "Սա ծանր փորձություն է Ռուսաստանի համար. Նիկոլ Փաշինյանը` Բորիս Նեմցովի սպանութան մասին". lurer.com. Retrieved 3 March 2015.
  64. ^ a b "Banned Polish delegate addresses Nemtsov funeral-goers". Radio Poland. 3 March 2014.
  65. ^ Bershidsky, Leonid (27 February 2015). "The Russia That Died With Boris Nemtsov". Bloomberg View.
  66. ^ Judah, Ben (28 February 2015). "Boris Nemtsov murder: Putin now governs mostly through terror and propaganda". The Telegraph.
  67. ^ Dawisha, Karen (28 February 2015). "Nemtsov killing: A chilling historical parallel?". CNN.
  68. ^ Sindelar, Daisy (1 March 2015). "Nemtsov: Kremlin-Watchers Find Eerie Parallel In An 80-Year-Old Murder". Radio Free Europe.
  69. ^ Whitmore, Brian (28 February 2015). "Putin's 'Hybrid' Great Terror". RFERL.
  70. ^ "A moment of silence in the program "Shuster Live", paid tribute to Boris Nemtsov". 112.ua. Retrieved 28 February 2015.
  71. ^ Lowe, Christian; Macdonald, Alastair (3 March 2015). "Russia bars two EU politicians from Nemtsov funeral". Reuters.
  72. ^ a b Luhn, Alec; Walker, Shaun (3 March 2015). "Boris Nemtsov's funeral takes place in Moscow as EU condemns travel bans". The Guardian.
  73. ^ "Jailed Navalny Not Allowed To Attend Nemtsov's Funeral". Radio Free Europe. 2 March 2015.
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