国际英语新闻:Russian Opposition Marches in Tribute to Murdered Leader

Russia's Investigative Committee commented that it is possible the crime could be an attempt to destabilize the political situation. Spokesman Vladimir Markin said Saturday it also could be linked to Islamic extremism or the situation in Ukraine.

Putin's opponents said such suggestions show the cynicism of Russia's leaders as they whip up nationalism, hatred and anti-Western hysteria to rally support for his policies on Ukraine and deflect blame for an economic crisis.

“It is a blow to Russia. If political views are punished this way, then this country simply has no future," Sergei Mitrokhin, an opposition leader, told Reuters of Nemtsov's murder.

Some media outlets blamed the murder on nationalists, who have been accused of several assassinations, including that of human rights lawyer Stanislav Markelov in 2009.

“I flatly deny any involvement of nationalists in these events,” Dmitry Dyomushkin, a leader of “The Russians” nationalist organization, told Reuters.

Some in Moscow appeared to agree with officials that the opposition, struggling to make an impact after a clampdown on dissent in Putin's third spell as president, might have killed one of their own.

“The authorities definitely do not benefit from this. Everybody had long forgotten about this man, Nemtsov. ... It is definitely a 'provocation,' ” said one Moscow resident, who gave his name only as Denis.

Government role

Nemtsov was a deputy prime minister in the 1990s, and many Russian observers predicted he would succeed then-President Boris Yeltsin.

After Yeltsin chose Putin as his successor, and Putin's subsequent election in 2000, Nemtsov became one of Russia's sharpest and most outspoken Putin critics, especially since last year's uprising in Ukraine.

In September, Nemtsov told VOA that Putin wants revenge for Ukraine's overthrow of its pro-Russian president.

He said Putin fears that what happened in Ukraine could happen in Russia, and sees a pro-European Ukraine as a threat to his own power.

Nemtsov's funeral is likely to be held at Moscow's Troyekurovsk Cemetery on Tuesday, RFE/RL reported.

Investigative committee

Vladimir Markin of the Russian Investigative Committee said, "Currently the investigation is looking into several lines of inquiry. First of all of course, it is the possibility that the murder could be a provocation to destabilize the political situation in Russia. And Nemtsov could become a sacrificial victim for those who would not stop before using any means to reach their political goals."

"Also we are closely looking into a possibility that the murder could have links with Islamist extremism. The investigation has information that Nemtsov received threats linked to his position about the shooting at the Charlie Hebdo magazine office in Paris," Markin added.

"Besides, we are already checking a line of inquiry linked to the events inside Ukraine. It is no secret that on both conflicting sides there are very radical individuals not controlled by any authorities," he said.