Russian opposition: Critics or traitors?
Mourners mark the murder of Russian opposition leader Boris Nemtsov who was shot dead in Moscow on Friday night.
Boris Nemtsov had, at one time, been tipped for the top job in Russia, but his political ambitions changed when he began to challenge the Kremlin.
He emerged as a leading figure in an opposition movement seeking to revive its fortunes.
But he was killed two days before a rally he had been helping to organise against Russia’s alleged involvement in Ukraine and a faltering economy.
Russian President Vladimir Putin condemned the shooting as a “provocation”, and vowed to bring those responsible for a “vile and cynical murder” to justice.
The motive for the shooting is not clear. Critics say the murder was the result of a climate of fear in Russia, where opponents are considered by some to be traitors, working to destroy the country.
At a time of rising nationalism – is the Russian opposition being stifled and intimidated?
Presenter: Martine Dennis
Guests:
Ben Judah – Associate Fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations and author of the book “Fragile Empire: How Russia Fell In and Out of Love with Vladimir Putin.”
Sergey Markov – Political Strategist and Public Spokesman for President Putin.
Martin McCauley – Russia Analyst and Historian, and author of “The Rise and Fall of the Soviet Union”.