The main suspect in the killing of Russian opposition politician Boris Nemtsov has signs of torture on his body and was forced to confess to the shooting, a human rights activist said.

Russian news agencies said yesterday that one of the suspects in the killing of leading opposition figure Boris Nemtsov has admitted involvement in the crime.

Opposition leaders face tough task in wake of Nemtsov’s killing

One by one, thousands of mourners filed past the white-lined coffin of slain Kremlin critic Boris Nemtsov yesterday, many offering flowers as they paid their last respects to one of the most prominent figures of Russia’s opposition.

The outrage of ordinary Muscovites was sparked by Boris Nemtsov’s assassination on Friday, but many fear apathy will return in the face of a remorseless enemy, says Anna Nemtsova

Like Stalin, Putin has nurtured a climate of fear and lawlessness, in which those who rally behind the Kremlin feel a duty to eliminate the leader’s opponents however they can, says Nina L Khrushcheva

The Ukrainian woman with Kremlin critic Boris Nemtsov when he was gunned down told Russia media yesterday that she did not see his killer, as conflicting reports emerged about the availability of surveillance footage showing the slaying.

Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov said the killing of opposition leader Boris Nemtsov was a “heinous crime which will be fully investigated”.

Murdered spy Alexander Litvinenko’s widow says Boris Nemtsov’s shooting was the Russian government’s way of saying anyone who spoke out against Vladimir Putin would be killed.

Holding placards declaring “I am not afraid”, thousands of Russians marched in Moscow in memory of Kremlin critic Boris Nemtsov, whose murder has widened a split in society that some say could threaten Russia’s future.

THE violent death of yet another opponent of Russian President Vladimir Putin adds another layer of complexity to the deteriorating relationship between the democratic world and an increasingly autocratic Kremlin. 

Russia’s top investigative body is looking into several possible motives for the killing of prominent opposition figure Boris Nemtsov, including an attempt to destabilise the state, Islamic extremism, the Ukraine conflict and his personal life.

A leading Russian opposition politician, former deputy prime minister Boris Nemtsov, has been shot dead, Russian officials say.

Moscow police interrupted a play featuring the trial of punk rockers Pussy Riot yesterday and warned its Swiss director for violating visa rules in what a government critic said was part of an anti-Western campaign.

Thousands of opposition supporters gathered today outside the old KGB headquarters in central Moscow today to mark a year of mass protests against Vladimir Putin and his government.

Vladimir Putin once compared ruling Russia to being a “galley slave”, but four yachts that come with the job, not to mention palaces, aircraft and a wealth of luxury perks help explain his refusal to quit the presidency, leading critics have said.

Thousands of protesters took to Moscow’s streets, accusing prime minister Vladimir Putin’s party of rigging Russia’s parliamentary election in which it won the largest share of the seats.

Russian prime minister Vladimir Putin was sued for libel in a Moscow court today in a rare case of the Kremlin-loyal justice system agreeing to hear a case against him.

ABOUT 500 people demonstrated in a Moscow square yesterday to demand the ousting of Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and his “rule of thieves”.

About 500 people demonstrated in a central Moscow square today to demand the removal of prime minister Vladimir Putin and his “rule of thieves”.

Several hundred people were today demonstrating in a central Moscow square to call for the ejection of prime minister Vladimir Putin.

Dozens of opposition activists were detained by riot police today as they tried to rally against Russian President Vladimir Putin's government in central St Petersburg.

Allies of President Vladimir Putin won a sweeping victory in Russia’s elections today but European human rights officials condemned the poll as having fallen short of international legal requirements and representing a retreat from democratic reforms.