Putin local leader shot dead in 'contract killing'

A local leader of Russia’s main pro-presidential party was shot dead in Chechnya today in what the region’s prosecutor said was a contract killing linked to next month’s presidential election, Russian media reported.

Tamara Khadzhiyeva of the United Russia party, which supports President Vladimir Putin, was killed by masked gunmen who broke into her home in Shali, south east of the Chechen capital Grozny.

Three attackers entered her home at about 3.30am and shot her at point-blank range, Chechnya’s chief prosecutor Vladimir Kravchenko was quoted as saying.

Kravchenko said it was a contract killing that was “no doubt linked” to preparations for Chechnya’s August 29 election to replace the region’s pro-Moscow president, Akhmad Kadyrov, who was assassinated in a bombing in Grozny in May.

There was no claim of responsibility, and police named no suspects, although Kravchenko said the attackers may have been local residents.