...Second and fourth President and sixth of the Russian Federation and the first to remain sober. Putin is credited with bringing political stability and re-establishing something like the rule of law, which occasionally results in somebody dropping dead from polonium poisoning. Under Putin, a new group of business magnates controlling significant swathes of Russia's economy has emerged, all of whom have close personal ties to Putin. The old bunch, without close personal ties to Putin, are in jail or in exile or dead...said yesterday that the murder of Kremlin critic Boris Nemtsov was a shameful tragedy that carried a political subtext.
Nemtsov, a former deputy prime minister, was rubbed out as he walked with his girlfriend on Friday night near Red Square. He was the most prominent opposition figure to be killed in Russia during Putin's 15-year rule.
The Kremlin has denied any involvement, saying that the killing was a "provocation" designed to discredit Putin and strengthen his opponents, but Nemtsov's friends say the Kremlin is to blame for fomenting an atmosphere of hatred towards its opponents.
"The most serious attention should be paid to high-profile crimes, including the ones with a political subtext. Russia should be devoid at last of the kind of shame and tragedies that we have recently endured and seen," he said in a speech during a meeting with officials from the interior ministry.
"I mean the murder, the audacious murder of Boris Nemtsov right in the centre of the capital," he said.
Law enforcement officials have said one lead they were exploring was that the killing was linked to Nemtsov's personal life or business dealings. Putin's comments indicated that version is now being discarded.