Boris Nemtsov Killed in the Center of Moscow

Russian opposition leader Boris Nemtsov was killed on the Bolshoy Moskvoretsky Bridge in the center of Moscow.

BBC Ukraine reports that this was confirmed by the press center of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs. It was also reported that the opposition leader was shot four times in the back.

According to a representative of the Investigative Committee of Russia, Vladimir Markin, a criminal case has been opened to investigate the murder and illegal arms possession. In Moscow, the authorities are enacting what they are calling “Operation Interception.” The Investigative Committee notes that Boris Nemtsov was shot from a car at least 7 or 8 times.

Russian President Vladimir Putin believes that this was a contract killing and that it is “extremely provocative,” says his spokesman, Dmitry Peskov. According to Peskov, Putin expressed his condolences to Nemtsov’s friends and family and instructed the heads of the Investigative Committee, Ministry of Interior, and the FSB to create an investigation team under his personal control.

The Ukrainian president expressed confidence that the killers would be punished.

“Shock. Borys was murdered. It is hard to believe. I have no doubt that murderers will be brought to justice. Sooner or later. Rest in peace,” wrote Petro Poroshenko on his Twitterpage.

“I can’t wrap my head around it. This true Russian, a friend of Ukraine, a man who I always wanted to shake hands with, is no longer here,” Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Pavlo Klimkin wrote on his Twitter page.

The murder took place the day before the opposition march “Spring”, which was scheduled for March 1st. Opposition member Mikhail Kasyanov, who arrived at the murder scene, said that the march will take place despite Nemstov’s death.

A few days ago, Russian activists agreed to hold a march in the Marino district on the outskirts of Moscow because the authorities had banned the protestors from demonstrating on Tverskaya Street in center of the city. Nemtsov, one of the organizers, said that their demands were more important than the venue.

Boris Nemtsov was regional governor of Nizhny Novgorod from 1991 to 1997, headed the Ministry of Fuel and Energy, and was the first deputy prime minister. In recent years, he was one of the leaders of the opposition movement in Russia.