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Boris Nemtsov, a prominent opponent of Russian President Vladimir Putin was gunned down Friday night while walking near the Kremlin, according to news reports.
#Nemtsov killed in shadow of St Basil's Cathedral, just yards from Red Square. #Russia pic.twitter.com/zR3C2x8a9n
— Jon Williams (@WilliamsJon) February 27, 2015
Nemtsov was a former high-ranking Russian government official in the 1990s under Boris Yeltsin.
Devastated to hear of the brutal murder of my long-time opposition colleague Boris Nemtsov. Shot 4 times, once for each child he leaves.
— Garry Kasparov (@Kasparov63) February 27, 2015
The BBC relayed reports from Russian news agencies Interfax and Meduza:
“An unidentified attacker shot Mr Nemtsov four times in central Moscow, a source in the law enforcement bodies told Russia’s Interfax news agency.
“He was shot near the Kremlin while walking with a woman, according to Russian-language news website Meduza.
“”Several people” had got out of a car and shot him, it added.”
RT @martin_camera: Убит Борис Немцовhttp://t.co/AEjfPrWTpRpic.twitter.com/P43Iqo8OBP
— ЧТД (@Chtede) February 27, 2015
Господи, тело еще лежит pic.twitter.com/aFuLltnIAX
— Roman Dobrokhotov (@Dobrokhotov) February 27, 2015
“01:11 AT LEAST SEVEN SHOTS FIRED AT BORIS NEMTSOV FROM CAR PASSING BY – RUSSIAN INVESTIGATIVE COMMITTEE SPOKESMAN MARKIN”
“01:12 INVESTIGATORS QUESTIONING WITNESSES TO NEMTSOV’S MURDER, CAREFULLY EXAMINING CRIME SCENE – INVESTIGATIVE COMMITTEE SPOKESMAN MARKIN”
“01:13 NEMTSOV’S DEATH APPEARS TO BE CONTRACT KILLING – SOURCE”
“1:15 CRIMINAL CASE OPENED INTO BORIS NEMTSOV’S KILLING – RUSSIAN INVESTIGATIVE COMMITTEE SPOKESMAN MARKIN”
“01:22 BORIS NEMTSOV’S KILLING COULD BE ACT OF PROVOCATION, COMMITTED IN THE RUN-UP TO OPPOSITION MARCH SCHEDULED FOR MARCH 1 – SOURCE”