Murder of Boris Nemtsov

On February 27, 2015, at around 23:31 h Boris Nemtzov was murdered by multiple gunshots on the foot of Moskvoretskiy bridge in central Moscow.

Profile
Boris Nemtsov was a young bright star in times of Yeltsin presidency, a young reformer, Governor of Nizhnii Novgorod, then Deputy Prime Minister. He took part in setting out reborn Russian state after the collapse of the Soviet Union, but his name was also associated with painful "shock therapy" reforms and economic hardships it brought. He resigned shortly after the market and ruble crash of 1998. He was in a 'non-system opposition" during Putin presidency; co-chair of a political party RPR-PARNAS (currently no seats in Duma, and one seat--himself--in Yaroslavl local Duma); and one of the leaders of Solidarnost movement in Russia. In 2008-2010, he published a study "Putin. The results" (Itogi). The study was critical and thoughtful but not inflammatory or especially controversial; it quite heavily used statistical information and so had somewhat academic feel to it (possibly reflecting his education and research background). The study may have been ahead of time when it first appeared; but currently this material is comparable to common knowledge in the field, and does not have public controversy attached to it.

Criticism of authorities
On or about 29 April, 2014 made a rude comment about Putin, in an interview to Ukrainian press about Ukrainian affairs. Interview was recorded on video and featured on youtube. A complaint to authorities was made by a Russian citizen alleging a crime. Linguistic investigation determined it was an expression of opinion (meaning basically that the president is strange/odd), and not an insult of an official. The criminal case was dropped.

27.2.2015 Gives an interview to opposition media source Echo Moskvy, critical of Russia actions in Donbas and Crimea, on grounds of violating international law, e.g. Budapest memorandum, and not telling the truth on military involvement.

Assassination
Killed at 23:31 local time on 27.2.2015 in central Moscow on Bolshoy Moskvoretsky Bridge.

Predictions
20.2.2012 (three years prior). Putin, speaking to law enforcement officials:

"...as for provocations, at meetings and so on ...I already talked about that...hoping that it will not come to that, that everybody will remain within the framework of the constitutional [legal] field... and that provocations against the law enforcement would fail...because those you have talked about, they want to instigate all sorts of clashes, and do all they can to make it happen...They even can themselves 'sacrifice' somebody, and than blame the authorities. I know this methodology and tactics, they were trying to use it for the last 10 years already . And primarily those who sit abroad. I am telling you, I know about this.

''0:50 They even seek for the so called sacrificial [lamb] victim, from the ranks of some well-visible [public] figures ...They will kill [грохнут -russ, spoken/rude (make a loud blow),=kill] themselves, and than blame the authorities. They have such sort of people, they are capable of anything. I am talking without an exaggeration. I am hoping that people who genuinely want to improve things in the country, and using their rights to criticize, to participate in demonstrations/meetings, will resist [being drawn into such provocations]. But everybody should be aware of this"''

Photos

 * Life and Career
 * Funeral

Investigative Committee
Main page; appeal to witnesses to come forward

29 Jan. 2016 Murder and weapons charges in the final version are filed against Zaur Dadaev, Anzor and Shadid Gubashev, Temirlan Eskerhanov and Khamzat Bakhaev. This investigation is closed.

A separate criminal investigation is opened against Ruslan Muhudinov, who ordered and organized the crimes committed, and who since November 2015 is on the international wanted list, as well as other unidentified persons -investigative committee

Reliable Sources

 * Too many rumors- Markin; no update provided. TASS, 27.5.15
 * New investigator will lead the investigation. Nikolai Tutevich is appointed, old investigation chief Igor Krasnov is reassigned with a promotion. TASS, 15.05.2015.
 * В убийстве Немцова подозревают бойцов батальона имени Дудаева (Nemtsov murder suspect a fighter in battalion named after Dudayev) - Izvestia, March 3, 2015
 * Update by Russian Investigative Committee spokesman Vladimir Markin, Rossiya-1 TV channel/TASS, March 3, 2015
 * Chechen leader says ready to be questioned over murder of Russian opposition figure, October 2, 2015.
 * Court finds that investigators’ refusal to question Chechen leader in Nemtsov murder case is legal, October 14, 2015
 * Court refuses to recognize Russian opposition leader's murder as political, TASS (Eng.), TASS (Rus.), December 25, 2015.
 * Bastyrkin claims that Nemtsov murder is 'solved', Rossiiskaya Gazeta interview, 20 January, 2016. Nemtsov family attorney (and opposition figures) do not agree, point out that only those who executed the murder were found, but not those who ordered the killing, Lenta.ru, Jan. 20, 2016.

Witnesses
Evgenii, was on the bridge at the time of the murder, listening to musics on earphones and looking at his smartphone. Saw a man on the ground in front of him, and another man running away. The killer was medium built, medium height, black hair 3-4 cm length;  jumped over the low barrier/border stone    that separates the roadway, got into  the car waiting for him at the second from the right lane of traffic  (description does not match heavy built, tall Dadaev).

Speculation

 * Спутница Бориса Немцова оказалась любовницей командира полка "Днепр-1" Юрия Березы (Companion Boris Nemtsov was the mistress of the regimental commander "Dnepr-1" Yury Bereza) - versia.ru, 3 Feb 2015
 * Bereza denied: "What a nonsense", said Bereza in passing, hurrying up for Rada meeting on March 3. On her Facebook page, his colleague Victoria Siumar noted sarcastically: "typical picture, -tens of deputies with iPhones and eyes wide open approached my colleague Yuri Bereza to show him sites, where Anna Duritskaya was called his lover. At first, Yurii had even wider eyes than his colleagues. Than some interest showed up. He started to think, why it was not Jennifer Lopes, saying she is more to his taste"-- Komsomol Pravda, 03.03.15.
 * Bereza is said to repost an article linking him with Anna Duritskaya on his social network page, and received many cheers including from some notorious people.

Opposition

 * Andrei Piontkovsky in his Echo of Moscow blog writes an emotional/confused piece where he may be (or appears to be) lending some support to a theory that Russian security services had to do with the murder in order to frame Kadyrov (and presumably regain direct control of Chechnya or start a third Chechnya campaign, or whatever goes in that theory). Also the article offers a critical view on wisdom of keeping Chechnya in, calls to reconsider 'imperial attitudes', but not actually proposing any solution or action, apart from criticizing the course of historic events. Anyway, the 'trolls' jumped on the latter immediately, accused him on conspiring to change constitutional order in Russia / interfering with Chechnya affairs / being the 'fifth column' in a strict/legal sense, etc (see ruposters and Fort Russ and comments for details).
 * Ruposter article claims that an earlier unedited version of Echo Moskvy called for secession of Chechnya from Russia and Russia from Chechnya. However this is not present in the currently available version of the article. No idea whether the call was actually made. Even if as presented, it's calling for legal legislative amendments, which should be possible, and is not a public call to perform actions undermining territorial integrity-the latter not allowed in the latest edition of the law (article 280.1).
 * For reference: in 2003, a referendum was held in Chechnya, on the republic draft Constitution. Chechnya was declared part of Russia (articles 1,2), and essentially followed Russian law. Referendum was considered controversial and criticized in the West and by opposition in Russia. The outcome was that Constitution  was approved.
 * Recently, Chechnen politicians organised a rally in Groznyi, sharply criticized Russian opposition, including opposition media outlets Echo Moskvy and Dozhd (tv rain), as being the 5th column, etc.; those opinions were published by Echo Moskvy.
 * Chechen parliament as well as Russian opposition and human rights activists all asked authorities to investigate the other side claims.


 * Alexey Venediktov and Lev Lurie, Echo Moskvy, Feb. 27, 2016

Suspects

 * Theories about Possible Perpetrators of the Murder of Boris Nemtsov - Catherine A. Fitzpatrick, The Interpreter, March 1, 2015
 * (Owned by Mikhail Khodorkovsky's son)

Chechens
Adam Osmayev was arrested in Odessa 3 years ago for the plot to murder President Putin. Now he has been named a suspect in the murder of Boris Nemtsov.
 * From elite English school to Ukraine’s frontline - Daniel McLaughlin, Irish Times, Feb 27, 2015
 * ''Adam Osmayev, once arrested for alleged Putin murder plot, now leads pro-Kiev sabotage unit
 * Suspects named in Nemtsov's murder - 3/2/2015 translated from Lifenews
 * ''Dudayev Battalion militants suspected in Nemtsov murder
 * Successfully avoiding camera, stolen plates on stolen car, converted air gun, 6 shots in 3 double-taps were used in Budanov murder by Chechen militants. Reminds a bit but may be no connection. In that case, 3 months between the murder and arrest (R.)

Zaur Dadaev, arrested and said to confess. Some details about him provided by Kadyrov : in the past served in 46 special operations brigade of interior troops, MOI (Russia); was awarded medal for bravery; later resigned sighting personal reasons. Kadyrov asked his subordinated to look into real circumstances of resignation.

kommersant.ru, 30.3.15 a suspect said to emerge,   provided a car and promised payment, somebody nicknamed 'Ruslik'.


 * Kadyrov: One should look for Nemtsov murder trail in Ukraine and U.S. - Interfax, June 18, 2015

Suspects charged

 * Investigative committee named Zaur Dadaev, Anzor and Shadid Gubashev, Temirlan Eskerhanov and Khamzat Bakhaev as murder suspects; investigation into their crime was closed.


 * A separate investigation was opened against those who ordered and organized the murder; Ruslan Muhudinov and 'unknown persons'. Ruslan Muhudinov was the driver and relative of the former assistant commander of  internal troops battalion "North"  Ruslan Geremeev (who has influential relatives in Chechnya and Moscow). Geremeev was not named in the investigative committee report, and apparently is not under an international warrant.


 * Another suspect, Beslan Shavanov killed himself, exploding a grenade during his arrest.

Dadaev attorney Shamsudin Tsakaev stated in an interview to RBK: "We have a witness who can confirm that shortly before Nemtsov murder, the person who according to Gubashev shot him, --Beslan Shavaev--returned from Ukraine, where he was arrested by SBU. We are looking into this version, and we are ready to make the witness available for interrogation"

SBU denied that Beslan Shavanov was arrested.

Arrests
Two suspects arrested-CNN: Federal Security Service director Alexander Bortnikov said those detained are from the southern region of the North Caucasus, which for years has been a hotbed of unrest and rebellion against Moscow.
 * Анзор Губашев (Anzor Gubashev)  Заур Дадаев (Zaur Dadaev) are suspected in organizing and executing the murder TASS, 3.7.15 . Arrest was made in Ingushetia.  They are also said to have some property in Grozny. Their families' members  are hailing from Chechnya, moved to Ingushetia in the 60's. It is said that Dadaev served in the  MoI of Chechnya battalion "North," about 10 years ago. A day later, three more suspects were arrested  and held without bail till April 28.
 * Judge is quoted saying that "The guilt of Dadaev is confirmed by his statements confessing to the crime." (Confession was considered 'king of proofs' in Soviet days and is said to remain such to this day, according to a recent interview by Moscow lawyer advocacy group representative, broadcast on tvrain.ru. But there is said to be video footage from traffic cameras as well, linking suspects to the crime )
 * According to media reports. Dadaev withdrew his confession. Said that he gave it trying to have a friend released/personal safety concerns TASS quoting other media

PACE investigation
PACE Collects Signatures to Initiate Investigation into Nemtsov's Murder, Jan. 26, 2016. Initiated by Janna Nemtsova; supported by Mikhail Kasyanov and Vladimir Kara-Murza.

Analysis

 * An analyst of European-Russian relationships looks at the Nemtsov affair
 * "Man on the Bridge"--The Comprehensive Guide to the Nemtsov Murder Investigation, Kommersant, translated to English by FortRuss, March 2, 2015
 * The not-so-simple murder of Boris Nemtsov - ALJAZEERA.COM
 * ''Vladimir Putin had little reason to have Boris Nemtsov...
 * Andrey Illarionov analysis. Points out that cleaner was within meters from the murder; stopped and waited for Duritskaia to approach for 45 seconds---but claimed that he has not seen the killer. While an accidental witness (according to Illarionov observation based on the security camera footage) was at a distance of 200 m from the murder, and was checking his smartphone--still could see the killer, including closing, body type, and had Nemtsov dying in his arms (according to some reports). (Have hard time to see things on that security video, need to double check later-R).

Commemorations

 * Memorial march is planned in Moscow, 27 Feb 2016- PARNAS filed a petition notifying Moscow authorities
 * Additional security measures planned for the march on 27 February, but it is said that the bridge will remain open- TASS


 * Nemtsov march 'twitter coverage'. Several thousand people estimate at this point; many Russian flags.