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Who Killed Boris Nemtsov – And Why?
OPINION
Whether the assassination of Boris Nemtsov was orchestrated by government figures or liberals seeking to create a martyr, his body lying in the street near the Kremlin is a bad look for Vladimir Putin, writes Matthew Sussex.
The gangland-style killing of Boris Nemtsov on Friday marked the worrying return of political assassination to Russia’s internal power games. While Russia has remained one of the most dangerous places to be a government opponent oroutspoken journalist, murders of opposition members have actually tapered off in recent years.
Nemtsov was shot four times as he walked on a bridge across the Moskva river, only metres from the Kremlin walls, and just one day before he was due to lead a protest rally against Vladimir Putin.
For Kremlin critics, the most likely culprits will be those close to Putin’s inner circle, most of whom have backgrounds in the FSB (Federal Security Service).
