Support The Moscow Times!

Japanese Diplomat to Visit After Motorcycle Tourist Murdered in Siberia

31-year-old Kaiti Okhnita was traveling across Russia on this motorcyle seen in a photo from the Investigative Committee. Investigative Committee

A Japanese diplomat will travel to Chita on Thursday from the Khabarovsk consulate in response to the murder of a Japanese tourist who was traveling across Russia on a motorcycle.

The body of 31-year-old Kaiti Okhnita was found Tuesday less than a kilometer from the main highway outside of the Siberian city of Chita on a remote stretch of road leading to Irkutsk near Lake Baikal, Interfax reported.

Local residents discovered Okhnita inside a tent he had erected for the night with 30 stab wounds, tayga.info reported. Police discovered his Suzuki motorcycle, clothes, a mobile phone, a large amount of Russian currency, and other personal items.

Police did not say whether there was a suspect or any known motivation for the killing. The Investigative Committee has opened an investigation into the matter.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

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.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more