Stanislav Markelov had a lot of enemies. In addition to representing the Kungayev family, his other clients included: Khimkinskaya Pravda editor Mikhail Beketov (he’s on the verge of death), Chechen Yana Neserkhoyeva, a Nord-Ost hostage accused of helping terrorists in 2002, Zelimkhan Murdalov, a kidnapped Grozny resident who was tortured to death by an OMON officer, and AntiFa activist Alexei Olesinov. Representing these types of people will make you enemies of Russian nationalists, Chechens, local businessmen, police and security forces, and skinheads. There is also, of course, Colonel Yuri Budanov, whose release last week was opposed by Markelov.
That list of enemies makes for a long list of potential perpetrators. Logic dictates that Budanov is the chief suspect, but the colonel denies any involvement in the murder. “Do you think that after several days of freedom I had a burning desire to do more time?” he told Komsomolskaya pravda in an interview. He called the murder a “provocation.”
Some suspect skinheads did the deed given that Markelov was attacked by five of them in 2004. Apparently he received several SMS threats from skins in the says before his murder. But can we really expect skins to use a silencer? Their methods tend to be a bit cruder.
Then, as always, there is the Chechen angle. As it seems with most murders of high profile personalities in Russia, there is a conspiracy behind the conspiracy, where a Chechen or a deposed oligarch stands at the end of a complex nefarious web. Sometimes these are viewed as one of the same entity. But this time it’s solely Chechens, according to Vladimir Karchevsky, the lawyer for the Markelov family. “Budanov is a smokescreen for the real murderer,” the jurist told Izvestiia. “The real murderer probably timed his crime to coincide with Budanov’s release – in order to deflect suspicions.”
Izvestiia even suggested that Markelov might have known something about Anna Politkovskaya’s murderer. I’m sure that this is only the beginning of what kind of tales will be spun around this one.
While the list of potential killers is long, Markelov’s work also got him a lot of friends as memorials to his memory attest. Hundreds of people gathered at the site where Markelov and Anastatsia Baburova were slain on Monday. Even a Russian Orthodox priest stressed that Markelov and Buburova’s death fell on Epiphany. Hopefully this will translate into a social epiphany on the dangers Russian lawyers and journalists face. Gatherings of AntiFa activists occured in St. Petersburg and Moscow to honor Markelov and Baburova. Barburova’s writings focused on Russian neo-nazis and anti-fascism (Also see her Live Journal blog. OpenDemocracy.net has translated of some of her last blog entries.). Thousands marched in Grozny to remember Markelov’s work on the behalf of the war torn republic Chechnya. Apparently, Markelov even has friends among Razman Kadyrov’s government. Upon hearing of the jurist’s death, the Chechen hetman awarded him with a postumous medal to recognize “his merits to the Chechen Republic.” “Stanislav Markelov was held in special esteem in our republic,” Kadyrov said. “His name was a synonym for justice.”
In the end, the memory of Markelov and Barburova might be all people have. Justice in these cases is rarely forthcoming. Instead we have a kind of perpetual danse macabre between killers and their victims. As an editorial in Novaya gazeta reminds us, “The killers have no fear because they know they will not be punished. But neither are their victims afraid, because when you defend others you cease to fear.”
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I suspect you probably know this tidbit, but decided not to dig into it.
Izvestia also speculated the murder was committed by Moscow police, given that the murder weapon was a Makarov pistol (standard police issue) and the killer unexpectedly did not toss the weapon (typically contract killers quickly toss the murder weapon.) The authors of the Izvestia article (Vladimir Demchenko, Anton Zaritovsky, Vladimir Perekrest) speculate only a police officer would be unworried about being apprehended with the weapon in hand.
The translation from JRL is as follows:
Actually, the killer’s style offers some food for thought.
The murder happened on a busy street. The hitman didn’t drop his gun; he calmly disappeared into the nearest subway station. Why was he so confident that he wouldn’t be stopped by police, if only for an ID check? Perhaps he was so calm because he had a police badge in his pocket. A Makarov pistol is standard police issue, after all.
The police could have had a real grudge against Markelov. In April 2008, there was a brawl at the Sokolniki police station involving five youths and some police officers. The youths were beaten up, but they were also charged with assaulting police.
Meanwhile, lawyers pushed successfully for charges against the police officers. Lawyer Yevgeny Chernousov told us yesterday that this case is at its peak right now – and Markelov was representing one of the youths, Vsevolod Ostapov.
But neither are their victims afraid, because when you defend others you cease to fear.
Personally I consider them to be incredibly brave, far braver than I.
Fascinating blog post! Thanks.
Sean.
When you talk about theories – what do you base them on?
“Маркелов – адвокат Израилова в Европейском суде, по делу против Кадырова”
“13 января в Вене неизвестными был убит 27-летний Умар Израилов, выступавший с обвинениями против президента Чеченской республики Рамзана Кадырова,…
В России Израилов был первоначально задержан как сепаратист, однако вскоре его отпустили по амнистии, и он стал телохранителем Кадырова. Затем он бежал из Чечни и получил убежище в Австрии, после чего в России людьми Кадырова был похищен и подвергнут пыткам его отец. В конце 2006 года Израилов подал в Европейский суд по правам человека иск против России, в котором обвинял Кадырова в систематическом использовании пыток и похищений для усмирения несогласных в период с 2003 по 2005 год.”
And ask any “pravozashitnik” what they think about Kadyrov.
One more piece.
People wrote: “Убиенный адвокат Маркелов,оказывается,ещё активно участвовал в войне Митволя и Митрохина за федеральное бабло ФЦП “Северо-Западный скоростной диаметр”.И собирал компру на правительство Московской области.”
First of all. Makar is one of two “standard” pistols since Soviet time – everywhere. Police, army, criminals etc. Second one is Stechkin. Both machine are really good.
http://world.guns.ru/handguns/hg21-e.htm
9 mm rounds are standard almost for all Russian pistols, after all. Except old 7.62 mm and special stuff (for special units). As there was no weapons found – no reason to say it was Makarov.
Makarov with silencer is not police weapon…as it doesn’t exists as standard pistol. There are weapons based on Makarov with standard silencer but they are not for police…
In general – Makarov is same thing in Russia as Matreshka as it was officially adopted in 1951 as the “9mm Pistolet Makarova” or PM in short. After all
Not that it’s relevant to all of the theorizing and versiia-slinging, but it looks like Markelov was also involved with the OD-group thing (or at least wanted to be) at MGU when that was going down. See here.
“And ask any “pravozashitnik” what they think about Kadyrov.”
I have it on good authority that Latynina is a friend of his, or friendly with him.
“Apparently, Markelov even has friends among Razman Kadyrov’s government.”
Why is this surprising? Kadyrov’s government is composed almost entirely of former anti-Russia fighters, is by all accounts extremely popular in Chechnya, and is more or less nationalist in orientation. Why would they be indifferent to this?
“Logic dictates that Budanov is the chief suspect”
Why? Does he have a history of murdering anybody outside of warzones? Or is it because he’s well-known?
I think it probably has to go with the Khimki stuff.
http://may-antiwar.livejournal.com/159977.html?view=1212393#t1212393
“Поймите меня правильно: я не знаю отгадок. И я не знала в точности, чем особо угрожающим занимался в данный момент Маркелов, и кто ему угрожал.”
From the person who is not an “average” one.
9 mm rounds are standard almost for all Russian pistols, after all. Except old 7.62 mm and special stuff (for special units). As there was no weapons found – no reason to say it was Makarov.
Incorrect. Not all 9 mm rounds are the same, and the Makarov in particular doesn’t not accept just any 9 mm round. In fact, it is well known for this. Canada currently is having a problem trying to find specific 9 mm Makarov ammunition to supply to Afghan troops using the Soviet-made pistols.
Further, ballistics experts often can tell the type of gun that fired the round by any markings or etchings on the casing from the firing or ejection mechanism. The Makarov is a heavy blow-back pistol and likely leaves a particular imprint from both the free-floating firing pin and blow-back ejection.
The news reports have been quite specific about the make of the weapon, which is likely due to these reasons.
It is also possible that it is actually a Baikal MP645K air pistol (“Air-Mak”) which was modified into a Makarov-style pistol. This modification is actually quite common among criminals, and is one of the prevalent criminal fire-arms in the UK, for example. Such pistols can be brought into a country as air-pistols and then modified into an illegal handgun.
Not all 9 mm rounds are the same, and the Makarov in particular doesn’t not accept just any 9 mm round. In fact, it is well known for this. Canada currently is having a problem trying to find specific 9 mm Makarov ammunition to supply to Afghan troops using the Soviet-made pistols.
Jeez! And you once accused me of reading Guns and Ammo!
Wally.
Have you used Makar by yourself?
Are you ballistics expert or just read/watched “experts”/movies?
I fired hundreds of times and I learned criminal ballistics.
I don’t know who is stupid in particular – Canadians or journalists as there is no shortage of 9 mm rounds for soviet-desing weapons. BUT it must be soviet-designed 9 mm rounds. And they are all same – or they are not for Makarov.
And I don’t give a shit what journalists say in their news reports.
PS. Have you seen Baikal with silencer?
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