On Feb. 27, 2015, Boris Nemtsov, a Russian politician and scientist, was murdered. It was a dark Friday night when a man snuck up behind Nemtsov and his girlfriend, who just were returning from dinner.
They were right outside the Kremlin when Nemtsov was shot four times in the back, dying at the scene. A car pulled up around the corner and the murderer sped off. Their identity is unknown and there are no suspects.
What’s most interesting is, despite being so advanced, the Kremlin’s cameras failed to record the crime.
Boris Nemtsov was a forthright liberal and was partially credited with introducing capitalism to post-Soviet Russia. He was known for speaking out against the government’s decisions, including the war in Ukraine. Nemtsov’s last tweet was meant to garner support for a rally he was planning on Sunday, five days after his death.
Some suspect his death to be an assassination.His death holds very high importance to Russian politics. The de facto assumption is that he was killed by dissidents.
Others think the crime may have been carried out by the Russian secret service or a political opposition group. A few weeks before his death, Nemtsov believed Putin would have him killed.
The current president of Russia, Vladimir Putin, sits on potentially 70 billion dollars as suggested by various reports. That makes Putin inherently powerful, president or not. Becoming enemies with him is not a smart idea. Thus, Putin is a prime suspect in the death of Boris Nemtsov.
In a recent meeting with Russia’s interior ministry, Vladimir Putin admitted Nemtsov’s death may have been politically motivated. Putin denounced all political killings, calling them a “disgrace.”
In different regions of the world, the threat to equality and political freedom is real. People must not be afraid to stand up against the government.
No one should die for voicing their opinion. In fact, discussion and deliberation pave the way for success. History has proven that suppressing an unhappy population and ruling with a heavy hand is bound to fail. Collaboration and compromise are key.
Some aren’t surprised at all by Boris Nemtsov’s death. Many Russian citizens disliked Nemtsov for his ultra-liberalism. Since the ‘90s, people have protested about him even being in the country, asking to bring justice to Nemtsov.
Up until his death, Nemtsov had continually accused Putin of limiting democracy and freedom in Russia.
Anna Duritskaya, Nemtsov’s girlfriend, witnessed the entire thing. It was nearly midnight, when she suggested hailing a cab, which Nemtsov declined. After Nemtsov was gunned down, Duritskaya frantically called her mother, saying he was dead. Duritskaya has signed a gag order but refused to be part of a witness protection program.
Boris Nemtsov’s death has alarmed the world. Being such a prominent figure, his murder sends a powerful message to his supporters and has disrupted the Russian political status quo.
At this point, people can only theorize why someone would want to kill him.
Russia’s constitution allows for the freedom of speech. Freedom of speech is not an unlimited right as proven by Boris Nemtsov.