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Putin calls for end to political killings in Russia

Russia's President Vladimir Putin delivers a speech at a meeting with Interior Ministry officials in Moscow on March 4, 2015. (AFP Photo)

Russian President Vladimir Putin has called for the stop of "shameful" political murders in his country, following the recent killing of Kremlin critic Boris Nemtsov.

"It is necessary to finally rid Russia of the shame and tragedies like the one that we lived through and saw quite recently. I mean the murder, the brazen murder of Boris Nemtsov right in the center of the capital," Putin said while addressing the Interior Ministry officials in Moscow on Wednesday.

The public remarks were Putin’s first since Nemtsov (pictured below) was shot dead some 200 yards from the Kremlin late on Friday and buried in the Russian capital’s Troyekurovskoye cemetery on Tuesday.

The motive for the killing is still unknown.

During his speech, the Russian president also referred to peaceful revolutions in neighboring states that Moscow blames on the US, as “color technology.” 

“The actions of extremists are becoming more and more widespread. We are running into attempts of using so-called color technologies, from organizing illegal street protests to open propaganda of hatred in social networks,” said Putin.

On Saturday, the Russian president vowed to bring to justice those behind Nemtsov’s murder.

“Everything will be done for the organizers and executors of this vile and cynical murder to receive the punishment they deserve," read a statement issued by Putin on Saturday.

He condemned the killing as part of a smear campaign against the Russian leadership, saying it "had all the hallmarks of a contract killing and is entirely provocative in nature."

According to Nemtsov’s lawyer, Vadim Prohorov, over the last few months the politician had started to receive death threats on social media sites.

The assassination came ahead of the annual spring opposition rally scheduled for March 1 in Moscow, which he was set to lead.

SRK/AS/MHB


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