Thousands pay last respects to slain Putin critic Nemtsov
Thousands of mourners turned out to pay a last homage to slain Russian opposition leader Boris Nemtsov, gunned down near the Kremlin in the most stunning assassination to take place during Vladimir Putin\’s rule.
Crowds thronged the Russian capital to mourn the 55-year-old former deputy prime minister, a longtime Putin critic and anti-corruption crusader who was laid to rest at a Moscow cemetery.
The funeral caused a fresh spat between Russia and the European Union, which condemned what it called "arbitrary" bans after Russia blocked prominent figures from Poland and Latvia from attending.
Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny was also unable to attend as he is behind bars, but speaking from jail he accused "the country\’s political leadership" of ordering a hit on Nemtsov.
Putin himself has branded the killing a provocation and his spokesman said of Navalny\’s charge: "I am not going to comment on such lunacy."
Moscow has pledged a full investigation as speculation swirls about who was behind the assassination.
SOURCE: AFP
[do_widget_area inner_adsbar]