Russia Rejects Report Linking Journalist Killings To Putin Ally
Sumaira FH Published January 11, 2019 | 11:39 PM
Russian investigators on Friday dismissed a report linking the murders of three Russian journalists in the Central Africa Republic last year to an ally of President Vladimir Putin, insisting the trio died in a robbery
Reporter Orkhan Dzhemal, director Alexander Rastorguyev and cameraman Kirill Radchenko were killed in July last year while reporting on Russian mercenaries in the war-torn country.
Mikhail Khodorkovsky, the exiled former oligarch and Kremlin critic, was funding their project.
A Khodorkovsky-backed investigation released late Thursday said it had evidence the journalists were being tracked by a Central African gendarme with links to high-ranked Russian officials in the country.
Khodorkovky's press secretary Maxim Dbar told AFP that the investigation, presented to media in London Thursday, found the group's driver used a fake name and reported to the gendarme.
Dbar said the reporters were introduced to the driver by a journalist who works for a news agency owned by Russian businessman Evgeny Prigozhin.
Prigozhin is a Putin ally who -- according to various media reports -- funds the private military company Wagner that the three men were investigating when they were killed.
In a statement, Russia's Investigative Committee said the report was an attempt by Khodorkovsky's media project to "justify" sending the journalists on such a dangerous trip without the necessary safety measures.
It reiterated investigators' belief that the journalists were killed after resisting armed robbers.
Recent Stories
Mayor seeks proposals from town chairmen for OZT
Balighur Rehman condoles with Saira Afzal Tarar
Intermittent rains, snow falls paralyze normal life in AJK
NICVD world’s largest cardiac healthcare network: Prof Tahir claims
Significance of Indus river highlighted by civil society members
Digitalized medicine purchasing system launched to ensure transparency
DC visits water supply schemes, drainage disposal in Nawabshah
Philips settles US sleep machine cases for $1.1 billion
Provincial capital experiences heavy to moderate rainfall
Amir Muqam calls for performance over politics, criticizes opposition tactics
New leadership elected for Tehsil Babuzai Chapter of ANP
Awareness, institutional mechanisms termed ‘inevitable’ for combating harass ..
More Stories From World
-
'It swept everything': Kenya villagers count toll of dam deluge
14 minutes ago -
Nine face trial in Germany for alleged far-right coup plot
14 minutes ago -
Kenya Airways suspends flights to Kinshasa over DR Congo detentions
1 hour ago -
'I walked and walked': Ukrainian grandmother, 97, flees bombed village
1 hour ago -
Forty-day ceasefire offered to Hamas: UK foreign secretary
1 hour ago -
Six convicted amid fury over wildfires that killed 104 at Greek resort
1 hour ago
-
Takeover of Italy's Ariston a response to 'hostile actions': Russia
1 hour ago -
IsDB, Arab Coordination Group, SFD join Global Partnership to raise $500 million for education initi ..
2 hours ago -
Struggling Turkish grocery app Getir exits US, Europe
1 hour ago -
Rubiales denies 'irregularities' in Spanish football corruption probe
1 hour ago -
China strongly condemns perpetrators of atrocity in Gaza
2 hours ago -
Scotland's first minister Yousaf quits after a year
3 hours ago