This article is from the source 'nytimes' 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.nytimes.com/2015/03/05/world/europe/russia-putin-says-boris-nemtsov-slaying-was-politically-motivated.html
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Politics Played a Role in Nemtsov’s Killing, Putin Says | |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| MOSCOW — President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia said on Wednesday that the slaying of Boris Y. Nemtsov, a Kremlin critic, had a political subtext, and he called on law enforcement agencies to halt such crimes. | |
| “Headline-making crimes, including politically motivated ones, require our most serious attention,” Mr. Putin said in a speech to senior law enforcement officers during the Ministry of Internal Affairs’ annual review. | “Headline-making crimes, including politically motivated ones, require our most serious attention,” Mr. Putin said in a speech to senior law enforcement officers during the Ministry of Internal Affairs’ annual review. |
| “We need to rid Russia of the kind of shame and tragedy that we have just witnessed,” he added. “I am referring to the brazen murder of Boris Nemtsov right in the center of Moscow.” | “We need to rid Russia of the kind of shame and tragedy that we have just witnessed,” he added. “I am referring to the brazen murder of Boris Nemtsov right in the center of Moscow.” |
| Other than a telegram to the victim’s mother, in which he vowed to spare no effort to track down those responsible, the remarks were Mr. Putin’s first about the killing. He seemed to indicate that the Russian government was abandoning some of the more colorful theories about the attack advanced previously, including that Mr. Nemtsov was killed in a private quarrel over his girlfriend’s abortion or that it was the work of foreign spy agencies. | Other than a telegram to the victim’s mother, in which he vowed to spare no effort to track down those responsible, the remarks were Mr. Putin’s first about the killing. He seemed to indicate that the Russian government was abandoning some of the more colorful theories about the attack advanced previously, including that Mr. Nemtsov was killed in a private quarrel over his girlfriend’s abortion or that it was the work of foreign spy agencies. |
| Mr. Nemtsov, a deputy prime minister in the 1990s, was shot within sight of the Kremlin while walking home with his girlfriend on Friday night. He is the most prominent opposition figure slain under Mr. Putin’s rule. | Mr. Nemtsov, a deputy prime minister in the 1990s, was shot within sight of the Kremlin while walking home with his girlfriend on Friday night. He is the most prominent opposition figure slain under Mr. Putin’s rule. |
| Opposition figures quickly blamed the Kremlin for the death; if not directly, then for creating an atmosphere of hatred by using state television to smear all critics as “foreign agents.” | Opposition figures quickly blamed the Kremlin for the death; if not directly, then for creating an atmosphere of hatred by using state television to smear all critics as “foreign agents.” |
| The Kremlin denies any role and called the murder a “provocation” intended specifically to discredit the president and to buttress his opponents. | The Kremlin denies any role and called the murder a “provocation” intended specifically to discredit the president and to buttress his opponents. |
| Mr. Nemtsov had announced that he was planning to release a report soon proving that Russia’s military was fighting in Ukraine, an accusation the Kremlin has repeatedly denied. | Mr. Nemtsov had announced that he was planning to release a report soon proving that Russia’s military was fighting in Ukraine, an accusation the Kremlin has repeatedly denied. |
| The director of Russia’s Federal Security Service indicated on Wednesday that an investigation had identified several suspects. But his remark — “There are always suspects” — was rather cryptic, and he divulged no details. | The director of Russia’s Federal Security Service indicated on Wednesday that an investigation had identified several suspects. But his remark — “There are always suspects” — was rather cryptic, and he divulged no details. |
| The Russian police had ascertained that a Ford sedan belonging to a government security contractor that was seen near the crime scene was in fact being used by an employee moonlighting as a cabdriver, Russian news agencies reported. | The Russian police had ascertained that a Ford sedan belonging to a government security contractor that was seen near the crime scene was in fact being used by an employee moonlighting as a cabdriver, Russian news agencies reported. |