Moscow Refutes Claims Of Chechen Authorities' Role In Chechen Blogger's Murder In Austria

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 09th July, 2020) Moscow refutes claims about the Chechen leadership's role in the murder of a Chechen blogger in Austria, as it believes that speculations hinder objective investigation, the Russian Foreign Ministry's spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, said on Thursday.

A Russian citizen from the Chechen Republic, who sought asylum in Austria, was killed in a town not far from Vienna on Saturday. Two suspects, also from the Chechen Republic, were detained. The investigators do not exclude political motives behind the murder.

Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov expressed the belief earlier in the day that foreign security services could play a role in the killing.

"We note with regret that some media reports contain claims about the possible role of the official authorities of the Chechen Republic in the murder. We refute this defamation firmly, as we believe that such inadmissible speculations hinder objective investigation," Zakharova said at a briefing.

The Russian Embassy in Austria is actively cooperating with Austria's profile agencies, the spokeswoman added.