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Murder of Russian diplomat in Abkhazia solved

The suspect was detained in Georgia
Photo ITAR-TASS/Vladimir Astapkovich
Photo ITAR-TASS/Vladimir Astapkovich

SUKHUM, September 19 (Itar-Tass) - Chiefs of law enforcement bodies of Abkhazia have reported to President of Abkhazia Aleksandr Ankwab on Thursday that the murder of the Russian diplomat, Dmitry Vishernev, who was First secretary of the Russian embassy and its vice-consul, and his wife, Olga Visherneva, has been solved.

Prosecutor General Safarbei Mikanba, Chairman of the State Security Service Aslan Bzhania, Interior Minister Otar Khetsia have reported to the president that an interdepartmental investigative group managed to establish the identity of the criminal who shot dead the Russian diplomat and mortally wounded his wife, spokesman for the president of Abkhazia Christian Bzhania told journalists.

The suspect has been detained in Georgia.

"In the shortest time was conducted a molecular genetic examination in the footsteps of biological origin found on the elements of an improvised explosive device, resulting in the identification of the genotype and reliably establishing the person involved in the crime. He resulted to be a resident of Grozny Yusuf Lakaev," Russia's Investigative Committee official spokesperson Vladimir Markin. Previously, the suspect was tried  by the court of Achkhoy-Martan district of Chechnya for complicity in the participation in illegal armed groups and freed from prison in May 2011.

Vladimir Markin said that an extradition request is being prepared.

First Secretary of the Russian Consulate in the Caucasus Republic of Abkhazia Dmitry Vishernev, 36, was killed at about 09:30 Moscow time September 9 in the Abkhazian capital.

The killer shot at Vishernev, when the latter was driving in his service car from the garage, a spokesman of the Sukhum police department told Itar-Tass.

The murder was committed near a house in Nazadze Street in Sukhum, where the Russian diplomat lived in a rented flat.

The wife was staying with Vishernev. She was injured and rushed to Sukhum's republican hospital where the woman underwent a surgery. The medics currently estimate her condition as grave.

“Abkhazia is deeply shocked by the crime," a statement from the Caucasus republic's authorities said. "A cruel murder of the Russian diplomat is our common tragedy. Relations with the Russian Federation and Russian people are of absolute value for our people and those who masterminded and committed this horrible crime are the enemies of the people of Abkhazia and the future of our country. The criminals will be detained surely and convicted with all severity of the law.”