Vladimir Putin says Nemtsov assassination a 'disgrace'

Russian President Vladimir Putin today described the killing of opposition politician Boris Nemtsov as a tragedy that had brought disgrace on Russia, and warned against a rise in “extremist crime”.“We must pay the greatest attention to crimes that prompt a major reaction, including those that are politically charged,” he told interior ministry officials at a televised meeting.“We must rid Russia of disgrace and tragedies like the one we just saw... the audacious murder of Boris Nemtsov right in the centre of the capital,” a grim-faced Putin said.Nemtsov, a longtime Putin critic and anti-corruption crusader, was gunned down near the Kremlin on Friday night in an attack that sent shockwaves through the Russian opposition and the world.Putin has previously described Nemtsov’s murder as a “provocation” and vowed that everything would be done to bring to justice those who committed a “vile and cynical murder.”Investigators have said they are examining possible motives for the murder, including Nemtsov’s opposition to Russian military actions in Ukraine and a link to his condemnation of the attack against the Charlie Hebdo satirical weekly in Paris in January.Putin also warned against a rise in “extremist crime”, without directly linking it to Nemtsov’s murder.“Extremists poison society with militant nationalism, intolerance and aggression,” he said, adding that unrest in Ukraine was a consequence of such extremism.“It’s important to react instantly to any signs of extremist action.” 

For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.