This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-31693234

The article has changed 9 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 5 Version 6
Who killed Russia opposition politician Boris Nemtsov? Who killed Russia opposition politician Boris Nemtsov?
(about 5 hours later)
In the absence of any arrest or claim of responsibility, there are multiple theories for the murder of Russian opposition politician Boris Nemtsov.In the absence of any arrest or claim of responsibility, there are multiple theories for the murder of Russian opposition politician Boris Nemtsov.
Was he killed because he opposed the policies of President Vladimir Putin and Russia's alleged covert war in Ukraine? Was he cut down in full view of the Kremlin in an attempt to discredit Russia's leaders or even intimidate them, or incite a rebellion against them? Perhaps it was an opportunistic attack by someone harbouring a grudge? Was he killed in order to cow opposition to President Vladimir Putin at a time of mounting economic problems? Or because he opposed Russia's alleged covert war in Ukraine?
Here are some of the theories circulating about who might be behind the killing, theories which have become increasingly farfetched in the politically skewed view of Russia's largely state-controlled media. Or was he shot in full view of the Kremlin in an attempt to discredit Russia's leaders or even intimidate them, or incite a rebellion against them? Perhaps it was an opportunistic attack by someone harbouring a grudge?
Here are some of the theories circulating about who might be behind the killing and why. Some of them stretch the imagination, possibly in an attempt to obscure more obvious truths.
President Vladimir PutinPresident Vladimir Putin
The one view you are unlikely to hear in the Russian media is that President Putin had anything to do with the killing. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has roundly dismissed the suggestion that the Russian leader could have ordered Nemtsov's killing, telling the BBC it was "illogical" and "unacceptable".
On the face of it, Nemtsov was a well-known, media-friendly, veteran opposition politician who was just days from leading an anti-war rally in Moscow (cancelled after his death). But Russia's best-known opposition leader, Alexei Navalny, has accused the Kremlin or lower officials of his friend's death.
"If you support stopping Russia's war with Ukraine, if you support stopping Putin's aggression, come to the Spring March in Maryino [a Moscow suburb] on 1 March," he wrote in a social media post, published hours before he was shot (in Russian). Denied the right to attend Nemtsov's funeral as he sat in custody doing a 15-day sentence for illegal pamphleteering, he put out a statement (in Russian): "I believe that Nemtsov was murdered by members of a government (special services) or pro-government organisation on the order of the country's political leadership (including Vladimir Putin)."
According to Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, Nemtsov was planning to publish "some persuasive evidence about the involvement of Russian armed forces in Ukraine". The question, he added, was whether the order had been given to kill Nemtsov or to "stage an action that would have a high impact".
Such activities were bound to antagonise the Kremlin (as well as Russian nationalists backing the rebel cause in Ukraine, of course). One of the puzzles of the Nemtsov assassination was that, as a liberal politician from the Yeltsin era, he did not enjoy the kind of popular support given to younger figures like Mr Navalny.
But the idea that Mr Putin might have ordered Nemtsov's killing is "illogical" and "unacceptable" his spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, told the BBC. But Mr Navalny argued in his statement that Russia's leaders had decided to combat the country's developing economic problems with a crackdown on the opposition. It was no longer enough for them to "fabricate criminal cases", he said, in a clear reference to the cases brought against him since the mass election protests of 2011-12.
Even if you accept the possibility that the Kremlin might murder dissidents, the question remains: why kill Nemtsov and not other, younger, much more dangerous opposition figures such as Alexei Navalny? As for the perpetrators of the killing, he suggested they could have been members of informal militias allegedly used by the Kremlin as auxiliary police.
Multiple, dubious corruption prosecutions have beset Mr Navalny since he mounted arguably the most serious challenge ever to Mr Putin's rule, from the streets of Moscow in the winter of 2011-12. One argument that might counter his theory is that the security services already enjoy massive power under President Putin, whose own popularity rating increased last month to 86%, according to one poll.
During those same protests, Nemtsov played a minor role, jeered at times when he took to the stage alongside other opposition figures.
If the court proceedings against Mr Navalny were politically motivated, as many assume they were, where is the logic in killing a minor irritant but only gagging a real opponent?
Rogue elements in Russian security servicesRogue elements in Russian security services
Could Russian ultra-nationalists with connections to the security services have had Nemtsov - a pacifist, and labelled a traitor by some - killed as a warning to Mr Putin not to back down in the conflict over Ukraine? At the time of his death, Nemtsov was organising an anti-war rally in Moscow and there is some suggestion that the Kremlin or rogue elements in the security forces might have acted to stifle dissent about the war.
A ceasefire the Russian president personally helped to negotiate last month finally seems to be taking hold in the conflict zone. "If you support stopping Russia's war with Ukraine, if you support stopping Putin's aggression, come to the Spring March in Maryino [a Moscow suburb] on 1 March," Nemtsov wrote in a social media post, published hours before he was shot (in Russian).
A different theory, that some sections of the security forces might have planned the killing in order to justify some draconian new crackdown, seems unlikely. According to Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, Nemtsov was also planning to publish "some persuasive evidence about the involvement of Russian armed forces in Ukraine".
The security services already enjoy massive power under President Putin, whose own popularity rating increased last month to 86%, according to one poll. Although the anti-war rally was cancelled, Russia's small independent media have pressed on with investigating allegations of covert warfare.
That said, why, on a bridge just outside the Kremlin walls covered by numerous security cameras, has no distinct footage emerged of the killing? It is impossible to know how real a threat Nemtsov posed to the authorities. And a ceasefire President Putin personally helped to negotiate for eastern Ukraine last month finally seems to be taking hold.
Foreign intelligence servicesForeign intelligence services
Condemning Nemtsov's "vile and cynical murder", the Russian president vowed to bring to justice its organisers and perpetrators. It "had all the hallmarks of a contract killing" and was "entirely provocative in nature", he said. Mr Putin publicly condemned Nemtsov's murder, saying it was "entirely provocative in nature".
The clear implication here is that Mr Putin, at least in public, regards the killing as an organised assassination, not a random shooting in the street.
"Provocation" is Kremlin code for an attack aimed at destabilising the Russian state. As to who might be behind such an attack, the Kremlin's "chief spin doctor", TV anchorman Dmitry Kiselev, made clear who he thought stood to benefit most."Provocation" is Kremlin code for an attack aimed at destabilising the Russian state. As to who might be behind such an attack, the Kremlin's "chief spin doctor", TV anchorman Dmitry Kiselev, made clear who he thought stood to benefit most.
"When he was alive, Nemtsov was no longer necessary to the West, he had no prospects," he said. "But dead, he was a lot more interesting.""When he was alive, Nemtsov was no longer necessary to the West, he had no prospects," he said. "But dead, he was a lot more interesting."
It is a standard line on Russian state-run media that the CIA orchestrated the uprising in Ukraine last year and anti-Russian unrest in other ex-Soviet states in recent years.It is a standard line on Russian state-run media that the CIA orchestrated the uprising in Ukraine last year and anti-Russian unrest in other ex-Soviet states in recent years.
However, in the absence of any evidence, few people would take seriously the idea that the CIA staged the killing of Nemtsov in the hope of sparking a violent opposition reaction to President Putin's rule.However, in the absence of any evidence, few people would take seriously the idea that the CIA staged the killing of Nemtsov in the hope of sparking a violent opposition reaction to President Putin's rule.
An alternative Russian theory, set out in the pro-government Izvestia newspaper (in Russian) which quoted an unnamed police source, is that the Ukrainian secret service had Nemtsov assassinated by Chechen hit men in order to destabilise Russia.An alternative Russian theory, set out in the pro-government Izvestia newspaper (in Russian) which quoted an unnamed police source, is that the Ukrainian secret service had Nemtsov assassinated by Chechen hit men in order to destabilise Russia.
If some foreign intelligence agency did indeed organise the assassination of Nemtsov to undermine President Putin, it appears to have miscalculated. If this really was a genuine attempt to destabilise Russia, it may be too early to judge. So far opposition reaction has been largely muted, other than that of Mr Navalny in his jail cell.
Some 50,000 people turned out to protest at his death on Sunday - a fair-sized crowd but nothing like the anti-government protests of 2011-12 - and there was no significant disorder.
Kremlin's 'hate TV' compares West to NazisKremlin's 'hate TV' compares West to Nazis
Ultra-nationalists or Islamic extremistsUltra-nationalists or Islamic extremists
Undoubtedly, there were Russians who hated Nemtsov for his liberal brand of politics and opposition to the war, seen as a sacred cause by many nationalists.Undoubtedly, there were Russians who hated Nemtsov for his liberal brand of politics and opposition to the war, seen as a sacred cause by many nationalists.
"It is no secret that there are some very radical characters among both sides in the conflict [over Ukraine], who are not subordinated to any authorities," said Vladimir Markin, spokesman for Russia's powerful Investigative Committee.
"So who's Nemtsov?" asked one Moscow tweeter. "So much fuss while children and old people perish in Donetsk [eastern Ukraine] each day. Who remembers them?""So who's Nemtsov?" asked one Moscow tweeter. "So much fuss while children and old people perish in Donetsk [eastern Ukraine] each day. Who remembers them?"
One common extreme reaction circulating on Russian-language social media was, "A dog's death for a dog."One common extreme reaction circulating on Russian-language social media was, "A dog's death for a dog."
If the killers' idea (it appears there were at least two, in a car) was to confront Nemtsov, however, why shoot him in the back? One theory is that, rather than seeking mere revenge, Russian ultra-nationalists may have killed Nemtsov as a warning to Mr Putin not to back down in the conflict over Ukraine.
"It is no secret that there are some very radical characters among both sides in the conflict [over Ukraine], who are not subordinated to any authorities," said Vladimir Markin, spokesman for Russia's powerful Investigative Committee.
Another theory advanced by the Investigative Committee (often accused of political bias itself) is that the killers might have been Islamist extremists enraged by his condemnation of the Charlie Hebdo massacre in Paris.Another theory advanced by the Investigative Committee (often accused of political bias itself) is that the killers might have been Islamist extremists enraged by his condemnation of the Charlie Hebdo massacre in Paris.
Nemtsov, a famously outspoken politician, made no secret of his Jewish extraction though he was a baptised Christian. But again, where is the credible claim of responsibility?Nemtsov, a famously outspoken politician, made no secret of his Jewish extraction though he was a baptised Christian. But again, where is the credible claim of responsibility?
Jealous lovers Jealous lovers or crooks
Nemtsov had been involved in a well-publicised anti-corruption campaign in Yaroslavl, a provincial town not far from Moscow, and he also had a number of business interests. Nemtsov had been involved in a well-publicised anti-corruption campaign in Yaroslavl, a provincial town not far from Moscow.
The one alternative theory for his murder given by Mr Navalny is that he had created deadly enemies in the region as a result.
Contract murders for commercial reasons have become less common in Moscow under Vladimir Putin but do still occur. However, the killers were taking a massive risk attacking Nemtsov in one of the most heavily guarded areas of Moscow.Contract murders for commercial reasons have become less common in Moscow under Vladimir Putin but do still occur. However, the killers were taking a massive risk attacking Nemtsov in one of the most heavily guarded areas of Moscow.
What of the late politician's love life? Even admirers used the epithet "womaniser" in regard to him.What of the late politician's love life? Even admirers used the epithet "womaniser" in regard to him.
However, the Ukrainian model less than half his age (he was 55) who was with him when he was shot on Friday night could say little about the attack.However, the Ukrainian model less than half his age (he was 55) who was with him when he was shot on Friday night could say little about the attack.
Anna Durytska, who was unhurt, told Russian media she had not seen the killer, who had struck from behind. All she had seen, she said, was a light-coloured car which quickly drove off. Into the dark.Anna Durytska, who was unhurt, told Russian media she had not seen the killer, who had struck from behind. All she had seen, she said, was a light-coloured car which quickly drove off. Into the dark.
What do we know about killing?What do we know about killing?