MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Russia is shocked by the cynical murder in central Kiev of its citizen, journalist Pavel Sheremet, the Russian Foreign Ministry stated earlier Wednesday.
"This is not the first tragic death of a journalist in Ukraine…. We hope that the chain of impunity in the killings will be interrupted after all. We look forward to an objective and thorough investigation," the ministry said.
"Sheremet has become the latest victim of a system that has developed nowadays in this country. The acting Ukrainian government, with support of its Euro-Atlantic patrons for alleged progress in democratic reforms, has failed to ensure his safety," the ministry said.
It dismissed a so-called Russian trace as one of three main proposed investigation leads, as proposed by the interior ministry adviser earlier in the day.
Another journalist killed in #Ukraine. Pavel Sheremet. pic.twitter.com/RAQLsPkbdF
— Alex Bukovsky (@BungeeWedgie) 20 July 2016
"As often happens in the realities of modern Ukraine, there are immediately those who in their minds poisoned with Russophobia ‘calculated’ a ‘Russian trace’ in this brutal massacre," the ministry said.
Russia urges the international community and rights activists to exert their influence on Ukraine to ensure that journalists are safe there.
"Russia has repeatedly brought to the world’s attention Ukraine’s systematic violation of its commitments in the field of freedom of expression and protecting human rights. We call on the specialized international institutions and human rights organizations to use all their influence on official Kiev to ensure that Ukraine observes the fundamental principles of international law to ensure the safety of journalists," the ministry said.
Earlier in the day, Sheremet died when a car he was driving blew up in downtown Kiev. According to the Ukrainian Interior Ministry, the explosion was probably caused by a remote-controlled explosive device.
