Russian Reporter Who Was Critical of Putin Shot Dead in Kiev

[GennGreymane]

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/artic..._medium=social

A Russian journalist critical of President Vladimir Putin was shot in the back at his home in Kiev, the latest in a string of what appeared to be contract killings in Ukraine’s capital.

Arkady Babchenko, who moved to the city last year following threats in his homeland, died of his injuries in an ambulance, local police told the 112 TV channel Tuesday. They said the killing -- the third in two years of a Putin critic in Kiev -- may relate to his work.

The murder will further strain ties between Ukraine and Russia, post-Soviet allies who fell out following the ouster of Ukraine’s pro-Kremlin leader in 2014. That prompted Putin to annex Crimea and back a war on the two nations’ border. The incident will also resonate beyond the ex-communist space after the nerve-gas attack on a Russian double agent and his daughter in the U.K. this year prompted diplomatic expulsions around the world.

“Russia’s totalitarian machine didn’t forgive him his honesty,” Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Hroisman said on Facebook. “He was a real friend of Ukraine who told the truth to the world about Russian aggression.”

‘Harassed With Impunity’
Babchenko, 41, gained fame as a war correspondent in Russia. He traveled to the conflict in Ukraine, which continues to claim lives, and also wrote about Russia’s intervention in Syria. In a blog post last year, he complained of an atmosphere of hate toward his work.

“Some called for me to be stripped of citizenship, others are making an online game where you can beat me to death,” he said. “In Russia, dissidents like me are harassed with impunity.”

Babchenko worked for a local Ukrainian TV channel and continued to report threats to his life.

His death follows those of prominent Russian journalist Pavel Sheremet, killed in a car bomb in Kiev in 2016, and ex-Russian lawmaker Denis Voronenkov, who was shot dead in the city in 2017.

Russia’s Investigative Committee said it had also opened an investigation into Babchenko’s murder.

UPDATE: HES ALIVE


'Murdered' Russian journalist Arkady Babchenko is alive'

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe...mpaign=bbcnews

Russian journalist Arkady Babchenko, widely reported to have been assassinated in Kiev on Tuesday, is alive and well.

Mr Babchenko, a high-profile critic of the Kremlin, appeared at a press conference on Ukrainian TV on Wednesday.

The head of Ukraine's security services, Vasyl Hrytsak, told reporters the "murder" had been staged to expose Russian agents.

"According to information received by the Ukrainian security service, the killing of Russian journalist Arkady Babchenko was ordered by the Russian security services themselves," Mr Hrytsak said.

Mr Babchenko was reportedly found by his wife bleeding at the entrance to his block of flats, shot several times in the back, and died in an ambulance.

The journalist apparently did not tell his wife that the murder had been staged. "Special apologies to my wife," he said. It was not clear exactly how the fake murder was staged.

Police said that they had made one arrest in connection with the extraordinary operation.

A well-known Kremlin critic, Mr Babchenko stood in unofficial elections organised by the opposition in 2012 and denounced Russia's actions in Syria and eastern Ukraine.

He fled Russia in 2017 after receiving death threats over a post he made on social media.

[Machismo]

How long until certain Russians blame it on food poisoning?

[Stormspark]

Tripped and fell on some bullets obviously.

[Travis B]

Shot in the back? Clear case of suicide.

[Independent voter]

Blame Russia for everything!

[Wyrt]

Putin sure is having a lot of people killed lately.

[vipers]

Blame Russia for everything!

it just that there is a pattern and 1 big part always is that they have some issue with putin

[Santti]

In before someone points out that US is not so innocent either.

[Aurrora]

Shot in the back? Clear case of suicide.

Don’t be stupid, he wasn’t shot in the back, he fell on a bullet.

[Rustedsaint]

Clearly he slipped and fell on a bullet he himself purchased, striped the metal jacket off

[Kronik85]

In before someone points out that US is not so innocent either.

Look guys I'm not a Putin shill but this is clearly nothing to do with Russia. The man slipped and fell on a bullet which is a big problem in all developed nations because they don't have any good guys with guns to herd these rogue bullets away. Let's also not forget that even if this was an assassination then the US has done much worse.

Thanks!

[PACOX]

Shot in the back? Clear case of suicide.

Random stray bullet.

[McFuu]

Random stray bullet.

That's not very realistic, it's not like he lives in Chicago.

[Very Tired]

B-but-America has done some pretty ugly things too!

[Charge me Doctor]

I find it hilarious that these Russian journalists are killed in Kiev. Putin have really long hands if he can kill his enemies in another country, and, you know, one country that heavily denounces him. Political journalism is a dangerous joke by itself, once you get money from one party you can't turn your back on them. He was also a combat correspondent, so he was really close to Russian military, and i think everyone here understands who controls Russian military.

So it isn't a surprise that he got killed after he expressed "wrong" opinion on this whole Ukraine situation, sadly it's very dangerous to switch sides when you deal with mafia Russian politics

[Ashnazg]

He wasn't exactly a prominent journalist. Not prominent enough to have Putin signing his death warrant.

[oplawlz]

Putin have really long hands if he can kill his enemies in another country, and, you know, one country that heavily denounces him.

Really long hands? You can practically hit Kiev with a rock from Moscow. In other news it's not terribly difficult to have civilians killed. It's not like the dude had personal security.

[Evil Midnight Bomber]

Putin have really long hands if he can kill his enemies in another country

He can have people killed in London...why would Kiev be difficult?

[Milchshake]

Putin sure is having a lot of people killed lately.

World Cup 2018, brought to you by FIFA and murder!

[Charge me Doctor]

Really long hands? You can practically hit Kiev with a rock from Moscow. In other news it's not terribly difficult to have civilians killed. It's not like the dude had personal security.

And still, it's a territory of another country, even more so - it's a capitol of another country.

If this case has any ties to another journalist (Sheremet, who got blown up in a car that belonged to Ukrainian journalist), there is a probability that there was military involved (according to OCCRP - he was surveilled by SBU agent).
There is little to no information about his death, and chances are that there won't be any, just like with other similar cases that were investigated. But media is already throwing accusations, before investigation even began.