Former Russian Parliament Member Assassinated in Ukrainian Capital

Denis Voronenkov, a former member of the Russian parliament and a critic of Vladimir Putin who had fled to Ukraine, was shot and killed in Kyiv on Thursday, April 3. The President of Ukraine has accused the Russian government of being involved in this murder. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reported, citing a spokesperson for the Kyiv police, that Mr. Voronenkov, a former deputy of the Russian Duma, was targeted while heading to the five-star Premier Palace hotel with his personal bodyguard. The report also included statements from Artem Shevchenko, spokesperson for the Ukrainian Ministry of Internal Affairs, who said the assailant shot Voronenkov at least eight times and that security cameras captured footage of the assassination. According to him, the assailant was also shot during a struggle with Voronenkov's bodyguard, after which police forces arrested him, but he ultimately died after being transferred to the hospital. The spokesperson for the Ministry of Internal Affairs further stated that Voronenkov's bodyguard was also injured in the altercation; this bodyguard had been assigned by the Ukrainian government last month due to concerns for Voronenkov's safety. The Kyiv police are currently investigating the circumstances of the incident and are considering it a murder. Meanwhile, Petro Poroshenko, the President of Ukraine, while praising Voronenkov's political stance, accused the Russian government of being involved in his assassination, although he did not provide details about how the incident occurred or Russia's role in it. The Kremlin has denied the Ukrainian president's statements, emphasizing that Russia had no role in the assassination of Denis Voronenkov. In a statement, Poroshenko noted that Voronenkov 'was forced to leave Russia for political reasons' and he 'was one of the main witnesses to Russia's aggression against Ukraine.' Voronenkov fled to Ukraine last fall and during this time made severe criticisms against Putin's policies and his military intervention in Ukraine. Last month, in an exclusive interview with Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, he compared the current situation in Russia to Germany under Nazi control and called the annexation of Crimea to Russia illegal.