Russia defends itself against the suspicion that the Berlin murder could be connected with secret service activities of the country. "This case has nothing to do with the Russian state and official bodies, and I resolutely reject any connection between this incident, this murder and the Russian government," said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.
Last Friday Georgian Zelimkhan K. was murdered in Berlin, he died by a headshot. The suspect, 49-year-old Russian citizen Vadim S., allegedly shot the victim from a bicycle. He behaved before the magistrate according to statements of the Attorney General Berlin clarified. According to initial investigations, he arrived in Germany shortly before the crime. His visa was only valid for a short time.
General Attorney General could possibly take over investigations
According to SPIEGEL information, the security authorities are investigating in all directions, but currently regard the scenario of a "professionally planned and executed contract killing" as the most likely one. Security authorities of several NATO states described a political motive, possibly carried out by an intelligence service such as Russia's military service GRU, as plausible. "If it turns out that a state player like Russia is behind the act, we have a second case Skripal with all the consequences," it said in safety circles.
On a political motive could also provide the biography of K. hints: According to SPIEGEL information, he worked in his home Georgia with the security authorities together. He was forced to flee to the Ukraine after surviving an attempted murder in Tbilisi.
The Federal Prosecutor's Office is following the investigation closely. "We have the matter in view and are in close contact with the Berlin judiciary," said a spokesman for the supreme law enforcement agency in Karlsruhe on request. A takeover of the case by the Attorney General would be conceivable if the suspicion should prove that behind the act could be the "secret service of a foreign power".
