Category Archives: Political Murder

Russia’s Far East has always been an unruly place.  Tsars and Communists alike dumped its criminals and politicals there.  In the interwar period it was a hot bed for lawlessness and banditry, where gangs and holdouts of the White Army made life difficult for the new Soviet state.  There is one historical artifact that always stands out in my mind when it comes to the Russia’s Far East.  I tend to give it to my students so they can get a flavor of the heady days of the Russian Revolution.  The document is an anonymous letter to Lenin dated 15 January 1918.  After lambasting Lenin for not keeping his promise to deliver “peace, bread, land, and liberty in three days’ time” the complainant ended with this warning: “If you’ve picked up the reins [of power] then go ahead and drive, and if you can’t, then, honey, you can take a ..read more

One year ago, an assassin in a ski masked shot anti-fascist lawyer Stanislav Markelov in the back in the head near Kropotkinskaya metro.  The killer then shot Novaya gazeta journalist Anastasia Baburova as she went after him.  She died in a hospital shortly thereafter. Both were well known antifascists.

Two suspects, Nikita Tikhonov and Yevgeniya Khasis, alleged former members of the fascist group Russian National Unity, were arrested in November in the killing, a rarity in Russia.  They’re being tried for murder in Moscow’s Basmanny court.

The memory of these two figures, however, not only reminds us of the plight of human rights activists and journalists, but also the specter of Russian fascist violence.

In his report on the Markelov and Babunova‘s murders in Novaya gazeta, Sergei Sokolov addresses two myths worth remembering about Russian fascists:

First myth: Russian fascists are shaved young morons in shitkickers and bombers who attack immigrants. There are those.  ..read more

Two more human rights workers have been kidnapped in Grozny, the Russian media is reporting.  According to Ingushetia.ru, Zarema Sadulaeva and her husband Alik Dzhabrailov were taken by unknown gunmen from the office of “Save the Generation,” a non-governmental youth organization that provides medical and psychological help for youth and children traumatized by violence in Chechnya.  Alexandr Cherkasov of Memorial told Ekho Moskvy:

“Around 2 p.m. unknown armed men entered the office of “Save the Generation.”  Two were in civilian clothing and three were in black uniforms.  They introduced themselves as representatives of the security organs.  They took Zarema and her husband, and after some time returned and took their cell phone and her husband’s car.  When they are now and which agency abducted them is unknown.”

Chechen security organs say that it is too early to say whether Sadulaeva and Dzhabrailov were kidnapped.  “According to eyewitnesses, Saduleava and her husband went ..read more

A quick rundown of Western media responses to Natalia Estemirova’s murder from Newsy.com.

My translation of Novaya gazeta calling Putin out.

Ramzan Kadyrov and the unnamed “officials of Chechnya”? They are all one in the same. We remember the names of those who questioned. It’s unknown whether “Kadyrov’s list” was written on down. About which are many rumors. But it has been obvious for a while that there are a number in Moscow, other exotic international capitals, and with a furious speed – in the Caucasus. Last entry on it – was reserved for Natasha.

And nevertheless – someone must answer. Still before killers will stand like Raduev at the prison doors. Some suggest that we don’t have a state.  But we do have a state, and there are even people who know about these high-profile political murders in Russia (everyone) more that others. This person gave the “all clear” for tying Russia to Chechnya.  He thought up a new type of power in the ..read more

The world is reacting to the murder of Memorial activist Natalia Estemirova.  Already a universal consensus has formed as to who is responsible: Ramzan Kadyrov.  Everyone seems to be taking their cue from Oleg Orlov, the chairman of Memorial.  “I know, I am sure of it, who is guilty for the murder of Natalia. His name is Ramzan Kadyrov,” Orlov said in a statement on Memorial’s site.  Orlov accusation stems from a personal confrontation Estemirova had with Kadyrov when he fired her as head of Grozny’s Public Council.  “Yes, I am up to my elbows in blood,” Kadyrov allegedly told Estemirova. “And I am not ashamed of it. I have killed and will kill bad people. We are fighting against the republic’s enemies.”  Orlov claims that “these words, and further relations with her, were made with offensive language that I am not prepared to repeat, were threats.  Therefore, I have ..read more