Boris Nemtsov

Holding placards declaring "I am not afraid", thousands of Russians marched in Moscow on March 1 in memory of Kremlin critic Boris Nemtsov, whose murder has widened a split in society that some say could threaten Russia's future.
   

Thousands of people began a march in central Moscow on Sunday afternoon to honour the memory of the murdered Russian opposition politician Boris Nemtsov.

Moscow police said some 16,500 people were taking part in the march about an hour after it started around 3 pm local time (1200 GMT), RIA Novosti reported. Earlier, AFP put the the number of the participants at over 10,000.

Following the death of leading Russian opposition politician and former Deputy Prime Minister Boris Nemtsov who was shot dead in Moscow, thousands of people

Thousands of people are expected to gather in Moscow on Sunday afternoon to honour the memory of assassinated Russian opposition politician Boris Nemtsov.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has condemned the assassination of Russian opposition politician Boris Nemtsov and said he expected the perpetrators "to be brought to justice swiftly."

Nemtsov was gunned down on 27 February in central Moscow by unknown assailants. Russian authorities have announced an investigation into the case.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has told murdered Boris Nemtsov's mother that "everything will be done" have the perpetrators and organizers "punished."

In a telegram to Ms Dina Yakovleva Eidmann published on the Kremlin's website, Putin has called the event of Friday evening a "vile and cynical act".

"We love and respect this Russia that gave the world many achievements and culture, but are concerned for this Russia where such killings happen," President Rosen Plenveliev has said.

The comment of Bulgaria's head of state was dedicated to the murder of opposition activist Boris Nemtsov who was shot dead last week.

Local officials in the Russian capital Moscow have refused to allow a mourning march in memory of oppositioner Boris Nemtsov, who was shot dead on Friday evening.

Aleksey Mayorov, a municipal public safety official, says only the government is currently able to respond to a demand by opposition activists who wish to hold the rally in Moscow's central area.

Investigators are working on the hypothesis that the killing of Boris Nemtsov was related to his stance on the attack of Charlie Hebdo magazine.

"Nemtsov received threats related to his position on the shooting of journalists in the office of Charlie Hebdo edition in Paris," Vladimir Markin, who represents the Investigative Committee of the Russian Fed?ration, said in a statement.

Murdered Russian oppositioner Boris Nemtsov was working on a report allegedly containing evidence of Russia's direct involvement in Ukraine's unrest, according to Nemtsov's fellow colleagues.

Ilya Yashin, an activist who had close ties to Nemtsov, told Ekho Moskvy radio he had spoken to Nemtsov two days before his killing on Thursday evening.