After convicting an alleged FSB officer of the murder of former Chechen field commander Zelimkhan Khangoshvili, Germany has expelled two diplomats from the Russian Embassy in Berlin. <\/p>\n
On Wednesday, December 15, a German court sentenced 56-year-old Russian national Vadim Krasikov to life in prison after finding him guilty of killing Khangoshvili (a Georgian national of Chechen descent) in Berlin\u2019s Tiergarten park in August 2019.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Following the verdict, Germany\u2019s new Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock called the killing a severe violation of German law and Germany\u2019s sovereignty. She then reported that her ministry had summoned Russian Ambassador Sergey Nechayev and informed him that two Russian diplomats were being declared persona non grata.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The German authorities believe Krasikov is a high-ranking officer in a special FSB unit, and that he assassinated Khangoshvili on orders from a Russian state agency.<\/p>\n
Russia denies any involvement in Khangoshvili\u2019s killing. The Russian Embassy in Germany declared Wednesday\u2019s verdict biased and politically motivated, adding the allegations about Moscow\u2019s involvement wouldn\u2019t be left unanswered.<\/p>\n
The German authorities expelled two Russian embassy staff members in connection with the murder case in December 2019. In response, Russia expelled two German diplomats.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Germany charges Russian citizen over murder of former Chechen commander<\/p>\n