"I think this is a crime that should be investigated and punished…whoever it might be," Putin said, noting that he personally knew the slain politician. "He chose a path of critical struggle, and not him alone, but I am used to it. That is no reason to kill a man. I will never accept that."
Nemtsov, an outspoken opposition figure, was gunned down in downtown Moscow in February 2015. Putin condemned the killing and ordered a large-scale investigation into the case.
A presiding judge over the case cited Russian Federal Security Service information last month in presuming his suspected murderer, Ruslan Mukhudinov, is hiding out in the United Arab Emirates using forged documents.
The Russian leader echoed his previous assertions that he had not discussed the case with regional leaders, including head of the Chechen Republic Ramzan Kadyrov.
Putin previously called Nemtsov’s murder a "disgraceful chapter" in modern Russian history, vowing to punish the perpetrators.
A total of five individuals are suspected of organizing, supplying with information and committing the crime.
