Conspiracy theories abound in Russia after Nemtsov's death

MOSCOW, March 3 (UPI) -- Theories about the death of last week of Russian opposition leader Boris Nemtsov have grown as no arrest has yet been made and no group has claimed responsibility.

Nemtsov, 55, a former Russian deputy Prime Minister who was critical of Russian President Vladimir Putin, was shot to death last week as he walked across a Moscow bridge, one of at least 10 Putin opponents who have died by violent or mysterious circumstances since 2003. At a Moscow memorial rally attended by over 50,000 Sunday, notions abounded, with most blaming the Russian government for Nemtsov's death, which occurred near the security-heavy Kremlin, although little video footage of the incident is available. Supporters of Putin have blamed the CIA and other Western intelligence agencies, the Ukrainian government and others intent on discrediting Russia's involvement in Ukraine.

"There is no doubt that Nemtsov's murder was organized by Western secret services, attempting any way possible to create domestic conflict in Russia," commented Chechnyan leader Ramzan Kadyrov.

Eric Kraus of Moscow's Nikitsky Capital suggested, "Perhaps the CIA was involved ... Perhaps it was a Russian nationalist group. Or the Kiev fascists who could not hit another airliner and are desperate for help. I have no evidence. We really are all guessing. What is obvious, and for obvious reasons the Western press avoids stating the obvious, is that Mr. Putin has absolutely nothing to do with it."

Nemtsov, a pacifist and opponent of Russia's cooperation with Ukrainian separatists, was regarded as a vocal but minor figure in Russia's anti-government culture, and was planning a since-cancelled anti-Putin rally for the day after he was shot.

The Investigative Committee, Russia's law enforcement investigation agency, announced it was considering theories including Nemtsov's death as a means of destabilizing Russia, and the possibility he was killed by Islamic extremists angered by his support of French magazine Charlie Hebdo, whose editors were killed in January.

Putin assailed Nemtsov's death as a "vile and cynical murder" which had "all the hallmarks of a contract killing," and was "entirely provocative in nature." His use of the word "provocative" is a code, in Russian geopolitics, for an attempt to destabilize the government.

Pro-Putin television news announcer Dmitry Kiselev said, "When he was alive, Nemtsov was no longer necessary to the West, he had no prospects, but dead, he was a lot more interesting." The comment is typical of a government and news media which regard the conflict in Ukraine, and other nationalist flare-upsin Russia, as CIA plots.