What was Putin's involvement with the murder of Boris Nemtsov?

[11 Bravo]

Now that Mr. Nemtsov has joined Stanislav Markelov, Anna Poitkovskaya, Natalia Estemirova, and Alexander Litvenenko, among the ranks of Putin foes who have suffered the misfortune of somehow winding up murdered (and in none of these cases has anyone ever been held to account); what if any responsibility does Mr. Putin bear?

3 votes, 0 passes | Time left: Unlimited
	None, they were random killings.
	0 (0%)
	Peripheral, a supporter of his simply went off the rails.
	0 (0%)
	A member of Putin's inner circle ordered the killings, but without his knowledge or approval..
	0 (0%)
	Putin himself ordered the killings.
	2 (67%)
	Other
	1 (33%)
	0 DU members did not wish to select any of the options provided.
Show usernames Disclaimer: This is an Internet poll

[JonLP24]

1. I have no idea

I haven't looked at any of the evidence. There is also political murders in Ukraine, not just politicians but a judge & his entire family was beheaded. The justice system has pretty much no separation of powers from the politicians so that a long with everything else, is notoriously corrupt. Russia is a runner-up to a Ukraine corruption in most corrupt European countries so I wouldn't put it past them. Wikleaks revealed how much organized crime has a hold of Russia which is probably expected given the international reach of Eastern European crime syndicates.

[Fumesucker]

2. I have no idea, I'm going to plagiarize myself here and copy/paste a post I put on another thread..

Russian history makes Game of Thrones look like Mr Rogers Neighborhood

There are rivalries within the Putin rivals, it's not one group against Putin it's everyone for themselves.

Thinking like a Russian rival to Putin it makes some sense, make Putin look (even more) horrible, stifle your fellow rivals who weren't shot but will now be much more cautious, get rid of one fellow rival completely and clear the decks for further maneuvering on your own part less impeded by fellow rivals.

Putin would have been a little more subtle about it in my view, he's by no means stupid and he has to know how bad this makes him look and even to Putin appearances have at least some value.

On the other hand there is this..

[11 Bravo]

3. That's kind of the reason that I provided an "other" option.

[magical thyme]

4. Other here. Putin would not have him shot

There were many ways to make it look like an accident or suicide.

Somebody is trying to cause Putin trouble.

[LittleBlue]

5. Not sure if all those on your list are Putin's work

Murdering "troublemakers" is as Russian as apple pie is American. When Putin was a nobody, many of the current oligarchs were busy killing their rivals. Two of those names on that list were enemies of Chechen warlord Ramzan Kadyrov.

I'll have to answer "other"

[BainsBane]

9. I think it's a pretty safe bet Putin authorized the killing of Litvinenko

It's not like Polonium-210 is exactly easy for the average person to get a hold of. Then the Kremlin ensured the killer could not be questioned by British authorities and was willing to face diplomatic repercussions to do so.

[LittleBlue]

10. Definitely

Of that one, we can be certain. Putin did that in a way in which no one could mistake who did it. It was meant as a message.

This one just seems so obvious. A hit squad guns down a political enemy practically on Putin's front lawn. Not exactly optimal if the goal is to suppress political opposition.

[kairos12]

6. He was probably the driver.

[CK_John]

7. Putin is toast.

[BainsBane]

8. No he isn't

He's had political rivals killed before. Nothing is going to happen to him. Who dares to cross him?

To answer the poll, that's not something I can say, but I certainly suspect he had some sort of involvement.

[freshwest]

12. Oh, c'mon, Bain! Get out ot the kiddie pool, be adventurous! KGB?

Tough-Talking Putin Crafted Image His Way

by Gregory Feifer - May 03, 2008



...The Kremlin has worked hard to build Putin's public image as Russia's virile "national leader" whose authority extends beyond his presidency...

Few people had heard of Vladimir Putin when Russia's then-President Boris Yeltsin appointed him prime minister in 1999. But the stern-faced former KGB officer triggered a love affair with the Russian population - by starting a popular second war in Chechnya later that year...

"If they're in the airport," Putin said, "we'll kill them there... and excuse me, but if we find them in the toilet, we'll exterminate them in their outhouses."

...Putin has often lost his temper in public. During a 2002 news conference in Brussels, Belgium, the president responded to a question that angered him by inviting a reporter to come to Moscow to be circumcised:

"We have specialists in this question, as well," Putin said. "I'll recommend that he carry out the operation in such a way that nothing will grow back..."

More 'Putinisms' down the page at:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=90083829

I jumped in and voted for the fourth option, even though you are being fair about it. It is 'an internet poll' after all. Those Putinisms sound like they come from a man with some 'hands on' experience.

[BainsBane]

13. Well, when the opposition keeps winding up dead

as well as journalists who criticize Putin, it makes sense that the party that benefits most is behind it. But we don't actually have evidence at this point, so I'm not comfortable being too emphatic.

I do find it interesting how many of these murders are high-profile. There are lots of ways to kill someone and have it look like an accident, burglary, etc... but these are spectacular public killings: Litvinenko with polonium-210 and an armed squad of gunman taking out Nevmstov. I don't know the details of the others, but they are probably interesting as well. Russians aren't boring, I'll give them that, and Putin least of all.

[freshwest]

16. Medgar Evers, JFK, MLK, Jr., RFK... High profile for maximum effect. It's sending a messge.

[sakabatou]

11. Dunno

[edhopper]

14. I'd have to look into

his soul, but I would need a flashlight.

Yeah, he did it.

[moondust]

15. Not #1.

Is it just a coincidence that Nemtsov was gunned down just two days before he was to lead an opposition march in Moscow? I think not.

It serves as a maximum publicity warning to others like him.

A career KGB officer is capable of anything. Add to that maybe a couple hundred billion dollars, a lust for mythical status greater than that of Peter the Great or Lenin, and a domestic approval rating of 86%--the makings of a despot who believes he can get away with anything.

[R B Garr]

17. Who needs Russian spy novels with the Pootster.

He puts Tom Clancy to shame.

[pampango]

18. When you create an atmosphere where all opposition are unpatriotic, "foreign agents"

whose goal is to hurt Russia, there will be "patriotic"' nationalistic nuts on the right who will sense it is 'open season' on the opposition, particularly its leader.

When one portrays the government/Putin as good patriots and the opposition/Nemtsov as bad traitors, the powder keg is created. Who lit the match is harder to know.

Of course, there could be more direct government involvement in his killing but that is speculation at this point.