Russia's Investigative Committee have closed their case into the murder of opposition politician Boris Nemtsov, a statement published on their website announced Monday.
Five defendants ?€” Zaur Dadaev, Shadid Gubashev, Anzor Gubashev, Temirlan Eskerkhanov and Khamzat Bakhaev ?€” are now to stand trial on charges of committing murder for payment and the illegal acquisition, transportation and storage of firearms, the statement said. A sixth accomplice, Beslan Shavanov, reportedly committed suicide as police attempted to arrest him in the Chechen capital of Grozny in March 2015.
Prosecutors claim that Ruslan Mukhudinov, a low-ranking officer in Chechnya's Sever battalion, had offered the men 15 million rubles ($234,000) to carry out Nemtsov's murder. Mukhutdinov, who is currently on the run, is believed to have masterminded the plot, using the six defendants to carry out secret surveillance on the politician. He was declared internationally wanted in November last year.
Kremlin critic and former Prime Minister Boris Nemtsov was was shot dead in central Moscow, meters from Red Square on Feb. 27, 2015. The Investigative Committee announced that the murder had been solved in January 2016, but Nemtsov's daughter Zhanna asked for the investigation to be reopened three months later. She demanded that charges be brought against Chechen battalion commander Ruslan Geremeyev, the man who she believes masterminded the murder.
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.