The general director of a large Russian company has escaped with his life after being shot multiple times by a suspected hit man in southwest Moscow, news reports said Thursday.
The 40-year-old victim, who heads tube-rolling company Komplekrostroi-Group, was fired upon as he got out of his car on Ulitsa Butlerova, the Interfax news agency cited law enforcement sources as saying.
When the victim tried to escape and take shelter in the entrance to a nearby building, the gunman followed him and fired off several more shots before fleeing the scene, the source added in the report.
The victim, who was not identified by name in the report, was hospitalized with shoulder and abdominal injuries, the report said, adding that one of the bullets had damaged his kidney.
A criminal case has been opened into attempted murder and illegal possession of a firearm, a spokeswoman for the Investigative Committee was cited as saying by RIA Novosti, noting that the victim had been shot a total of eight times.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.