MOSCOW, January 11. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin considers a thorough investigation into Boris Nemtsov’s murder to be necessary, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. "Such cases usually are very complicated so investigation may take years to complete," he added. According to Peskov, "at the same time, the president believes that every crime of this kind, which is a challenge for society and which the president strongly condemned, should be solved sooner or later." "Perpetrators and those behind this crime should be held accountable and punished in accordance with law," the presidential spokesman said.
Boris Nemtsov, former deputy prime minister under then-President Boris Yeltsin, co-chairman of the Parnas party and lawmaker of the Yaroslavl regional legislature, was gunned down in downtown Moscow on February 27, 2015. Five persons were arrested on March 8 last year on suspicion of murdering the politician: Zaur Dadayev, Anzor and Shadid Gubashev, Tamerlan Eskerkhanov and Khamzat Bakhayev who are believed to be the perpetrators of this criminal action.
Depending on their role and the degree of their involvement, they are pressed with charges under part 2, article 105 (contract murder committed by an organized group) and part 3, article 222 of Russia’s Criminal Code (illegal acquisition, transfer, storage, transportation and possession of firearms and ammunition by an organized group). Article 105 carries a punishment of up to life imprisonment.
According to investigators, Ruslan Mukhudinov, a former officer of the Chechen Sever (or North), is the organizer of the murder. Mukhudinov was charged in absentia. He has been on the international wanted list since November 2015. A criminal case against him and other unidentified persons is investigated separately.