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1st LD Writethru: Russian politician Boris Nemtsov shot dead in Moscow

Xinhua, February 28, 2015 Adjust font size:

Russian opposition leader Boris Nemtsov was shot and killed near the city center, according to local law enforcement agency.

"An unknown person killed Nemtsov with four shots using a handgun on the slope near St Basil's Cathedral in the Red Square," Tass news agency quoted a law enforcement spokesman as saying.

"An investigative team is working at the site," the spokesman said, adding that the manhunt of the murderer is underway.

Anatoly Yakunin, head of Moscow City Department of the Interior Ministry, was heading to the murder site and Russian Interior Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev was also informed of the criminal case.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that President Vladimir Putin was "immediately informed of the murder" and "instructed the Investigative Committee, Interior Ministry and Federal Security Service to establish an investigative group."

"The head of state personally controls the investigation course, " Peskov said. "Putin noted that the violent murder indicates a contract killing and is purely provocative."

The incident happened almost one day before the opposition anti- crisis march "Spring", which is planned on March 1.

As an outspoken critic of Putin, Nemtsov once served as Russia' s deputy premier. Endite