19:57, 4 December 2019

Zelimkhan Khangoshvili's murder threatens sanctions against Russia

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Germany. Photo: I, DorisAntony CC BY-SA 3.0 https://ru.wikipedia.org/

Confirmations of the version on the involvement of the authorities of Russia or Chechnya in the murder of Zelimkhan Khangoshvili can complicate the economic cooperation between Russia and Germany, The Wall Street Journal reports.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that German law enforcers decided to entrust the investigation into the Zelimkhan Khangoshvili's murder with the German General Prosecutor's Office due to a suspicion that "the Russian state or the government bodies of the Chechen Republic could give the order for the murder."

Zelimkhan Khangoshvili, a native of the Pankisi Gorge, who took part in the second Chechen campaign, was shot dead in Berlin on August 23. A 49-year-old Russian citizen was arrested on suspicion of the murder. According to a number of signs, the arrested person is affiliated with the Russian special services, reported the Russian "The Insider", the journalistic group "Bellingcat", and the German Der Spiegel the results of their joint journalistic investigation.

The German authorities may impose diplomatic or other sanctions against Russia if the Prosecutor's Office of Germany has evidence that the murder of Zelimkhan Khangoshvili is related to the Russian authorities, The Wall Street Journal reported on its website on December 3.

Such a development of the situation could jeopardize the partnership between Moscow and Berlin in the field of energy, The Wall Street Journal suggests.

Dmitry Peskov, the press secretary for the President of Russia, said the allegations on the involvement of the Russian authorities in the murder of Zelimkhan Khangoshvili were "absolutely groundless."

Meanwhile, Germany declared two officials from the Russian Embassy personae non gratae because of the fact that Russia was suspected of involvement in the Zelimkhan Khangoshvili's murder, Der Spiegel reports today.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on December 4, 2019 at 03:15 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.