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DISINFO: German allegations of the murder of Georgian Khangoshvili are unfounded

DISINFORMATION CASE DETAILS

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Zelimkhan Khangoshvili

DISINFO: German allegations of the murder of Georgian Khangoshvili are unfounded

SUMMARY

Moscow’s rejects Berlin’s “groundless and unfounded” allegations that the Russian authorities were involved in the assassination of the Georgian citizen of Chechen origin.

RESPONSE

Recurring pro-Kremlin narrative that there is no proof behind accusations against Russia, which is consistent with the narrative on Russophobia. The article did not counterbalance or critically challenge this claim.

Although the investigations are still ungoing, the official accusations issued by the German prosecutions are far from baseless or unfounded. Amid the murder of Georgian citizen Zelimkhan Khangoshvili, Germany expelled two Russian diplomats. Germany's federal prosecutor said that "there are sufficient factual grounds to suggest that the killing... was carried out either on behalf of state agencies of the Russian Federation or those of the Autonomous Chechen Republic, as part of the Russian Federation."

Bellingcat, together with the Insider and Spiegel, identified the Berlin bicycle assassin as Vadim Nikolaevich Krasikov who entered France and then Germany under the fake identity of Vadim Sokolov. Krasikov was suspected of the murder of Russian businessman in 2013 but Russia withdrew the Interpol warrant.

In June 2020, Krasikov, also known as Vadim K and Vadim S, has been officially charged with Khangoshvili's murder.

See similar narratives on the Skripal and MH17 cases.

Disclaimer

Cases in the EUvsDisinfo database focus on messages in the international information space that are identified as providing a partial, distorted, or false depiction of reality and spread key pro-Kremlin messages. This does not necessarily imply, however, that a given outlet is linked to the Kremlin or editorially pro-Kremlin, or that it has intentionally sought to disinform. EUvsDisinfo publications do not represent an official EU position, as the information and opinions expressed are based on media reporting and analysis of the East Stratcom Task Force.

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