My Associated Press interview on Markelov (23.01.09)

My comments to the AP publication:
— ”former Russian security agent”: I’ve repeatedly clarified that “in 1988-1991: worked as civilian interpreter & foreign languages instructor in the Detached Training Centre of the First Directorate (intelligence, today SVR) of the KGB. It’s also known as Balashikha-2”
— “fled to Europe in 1995”: it’s a mistake. From the end of April 1999 I stopped to return to Russia because of security reasons. From 1993 I permanently & legally live in the West.
— “lives under police protection in France” – up to my knowledge, it’s not true, and in my talks with AP I explicitly stated it. (Maybe AP is informed better than me? 🙂 )

(more details about me – in my AUTO-BIO)

 

QUOTE

 

Slain Russian rights lawyer buried in Moscow, US Embassy expresses outrage
By DAVID NOWAK
Associated Press Writer

… Others expressed concern that it will go unpunished, like the killings of several Kremlin critics who sought to expose rights abuses and wrongdoing by the Russian state — and whose slayings prompted allegations of official involvement.

"Those who ordered (the murder) are the same as those responsible for murdering Litvinenko, Politkovskaya, Shchekochikhin, and others," former Russian security agent Yevgeny Limarev, a witness in the Litvinenko case who fled to Europe in 1995, said in e-mailed comments. "The list is very long."

Yuri Shchekochikhin, who investigated alleged high-level corruption for Novaya Gazeta, died in 2003 after a brief, mysterious ailment. Colleagues believe he was poisoned, but no arrests have been made.

… Limarev, who lives under police protection in France, said "nationalist groups" close to Russian security agencies saw Markelov as a threat and his profile grew high enough "to trigger a decision to assassinate."

 

UNQUOTE
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/E/EU_RUSSIA_LAWYER_KILLED?SITE=WIJAN&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

 

Below is my interview to AP in full:

 

QUOTE
 …
1. AP: Who do you think committed the crime, most likely?
MY ANSWER: One of numerous “ultra-patriotic” / nationalistic groups, part of siloviki faction, close to most prominent security agencies of Russia (FSB and SVR).

(more about siloviki)
 

2. AP: And what about a motive?
MY ANSWER: Political motive: to eliminate “outright enemy of the Great Russia”.

 

3. AP: The three common possible motives are: Budanov, Beketov and Neo-Nazis.

MY ANSWER: Budanov + Beketov + collaboration with Novaya Gazeta are most obvious and common reasons why Markelov became “state enemy” for “ultra-patriots” / siloviki. Latest Budanov case developments and active public position of Markelov have triggered decision to assassinate.
I can bet that those who planned and ordered to assassinate are not Neo-Nazis, though killer could appear to be Neo-Nazi.
 

4. AP: Any (other) comments?
MY ANSWER: Those who ordered are the same responsible for murdering of Litvinenko, Schekochikhin, Politkovskaya, Starovoytova… + attempt at Chubais… — the list is very long.

— As security expert, I closely follow up this case, and all my sources / competent interlocutors are 100% sure about political character of this assassination. 

…
AP: By the way, do you still live under police protection?

MY ANSWER: Up to my knowledge 🙂 — NO. I guess some kind of limited protection was organised during the Great Fuss over Litvinenko case in December 2006 / beginning of January 2007 (especially in the period of Scotland Yard’s visit to me), but this protection was definitely over from the end of January 2007.

 

UNQUOTE