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.