Investigation Into Nemtsov's Murder May End by Weekend

The investigation into the death of Russian politician Boris Nemtsov, who occupied a number of senior positions in the Russian government in the 1990s, and was an active opposition politician in the 2000s, could be finished before the end of February, according to a lawyer for one of the defendants.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The investigation into the death of Russian opposition figure Boris Nemtsov, murdered almost a year ago in Moscow, might end this week, a lawyer for one of the defendants said Monday.

"We were preliminary told that the end of the investigation would be announced this week, at the worst, early next week. They are planning to finish the familiarization with the materials [phase] of the criminal case before the end of February," Musa Khadisov told RIA Novosti.

On February 27, 2015, Nemtsov, who occupied a number of senior positions in the Russian government in the 1990s, and was an active opposition politician in the 2000s, was shot dead in downtown Moscow.

Five persons were detained on suspicion of involvement in the murder — Hamzat Bakhayev, Tamerlan Eskerkhanov, Shadid and Anzor Gubashev and Zaur Dadayev. The alleged mastermind of the murder, Ruslan Mukhudinov, has been arrested in absentia.