Russian President Vladimir Putin has dismissed two high-ranking police generals involved in the case against investigative journalist Ivan Golunov.
Major General Yuri Devyatkin, the head of the Interior Ministry’s drug trafficking department, and Major General Andrei Puchkov, head of the Interior Ministry's Moscow department, were dismissed Thursday, according to a Kremlin decree.
Interior Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev had requested that Putin dismiss the two generals after announcing that charges against Golunov had been dropped on Tuesday.
Golunov, an anti-corruption reporter with the Meduza news website, was detained and charged last week for large-scale drug trafficking in a case that drew mass outrage, with his defenders saying he had been targeted for his investigations through fabricated charges.
On Tuesday, the Interior Ministry dropped the case after a slew of evidence showed that the drugs could not have been Golunov’s. Kolokoltsev said he had suspended the police officers involved pending an investigation, in addition to asking Putin to fire Devyatkin and Puchkov.
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.
