On Tuesday morning – as reported – the award-winning Russian journalist of the independent Russian newspaper “Novaya Gazeta” was brutally attacked by unknown persons in the Chechen capital Grozny. Experts assume that it is not an “ordinary” attack, but that the attack is related to the woman’s professional activity. There are now new, chilling details about the incident.
It was supposed to be an exciting work trip: Russian investigative journalist Yelena Milashina and lawyer Aleksandr Nemov traveled to the autonomous republic of Chechnya to report on a sensational trial. The plan was for them to attend the verdict for Zarema Musayeva. The 53-year-old wife of a former judge was abducted from the Russian city of Nizhny Novgorod to Grozny last year. According to Russian state media, she was sentenced to five and a half years in camp on Tuesday. Milashina accuses justice of arbitrariness – the woman was put behind bars for no reason.
Taxi driver thrown from car
However, the reporter and the lawyer would never arrive at the court. “When we arrived at Grozny airport, we got into a taxi,” Milashina told the independent Russian-Latvian news portal Medusa. Before long, they were prevented from continuing their journey by three cars. According to their information, there were a total of about 15 people in the three vehicles. They just threw the taxi driver out of the car. Then they tried to tie up Milashina, the lawyer was attacked with a knife.
death threats in the desert
A car then took her to an unknown location, the journalist continued. There they beat her. According to Milashina, the perpetrators knew very well what their options were and what they were doing. They rushed and demanded the passwords for the tech devices. The attackers brutally beat the lawyer and told him: “Defend at home, we don’t need it here – now we’re going to kill you!” According to the story, he was forced to his knees, the perpetrators held a gun to his head and forced him to beg for mercy.
They then shaved Milashina’s hair and threatened to cut off her fingers. Instead, they tried to break it, but failed. “I have a concussion but no broken bones,” the reporter continued.
Must be muzzled
When the attackers fled again, the journalist and lawyer were forced to lie down on the floor and count to one hundred. The strangers returned and brutally beat her again. Milashina was forced to eat earth. Then they had to count to a hundred again. “And that was it. They didn’t take anything, they were only interested in our technical devices.” The journalist was convinced that all this happened because of her work.
Kremlin appalled
The Kremlin, Russian propagandists and “military correspondents” were extremely critical and appalled at the incident – they usually act much more cautiously in such situations. Even the Chechen ruler Ramzan Kadyrov, who previously openly threatened Milashina, promised to “solve the problem”.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov announced that Russian President Vladimir Putin had been informed of the crime. It is a very serious attack that requires tough measures. The law enforcement agencies would take care of it, the politician said. Even Russian propagandist Vladimir Solovyov, known for his outrageous statements, came across as unusually considerate: “Attacks against journalists are unacceptable. We hope that the police will do everything they can to punish the perpetrators.”
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
