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.

Photos

 * Life and Career
 * Funeral

Investigative Committee
Main page; appeal to witnesses to come forward

Reliable Sources

 * 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

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.

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...

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.

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