Primary witness to Nemtsov’s murder gives first interview

Anna Duritskaya, the Ukrainian model who was with Boris Nemtsov at the time of his death, appeared on the independent Russian television channel TV Rain to describe the circumstances of the murder.

According to Duritskaya, she met Nemtsov at a cafe inside the shopping mall at Red Square at about 10 p.m. on February 27. Soon afterwards, they left for Nemtsov’s home, crossing over the Bolshoy Moskvoretsky Bridge, where Nemtsov was shot. Duritskaya says she didn’t see where the gunman came from, as he approached from behind. When she turned around, all she saw was a light-colored car driving off. Duritskaya says she cannot remember the vehicle’s make or license plate number.

Duritskaya, unfamiliar with Russia’s emergency telephone numbers, says she ran up to the driver of a passing public utility truck, who left after telling her how to dial the police. (The driver told news agency LifeNews that he called the police himself.) Duritskaya says the authorities arrived ten minutes later, and she was taken in immediately for questioning, at what location she doesn’t know. After several hours of questioning, Duritskaya says she demanded to see a lawyer and speak to the Ukrainian embassy. Police refused.

Duritskaya says she wants to return to Kiev, where her mother lives, though Russian investigators assert that it would be unsafe for her to leave Moscow. “They kept me under guard for three days at the Investigative Committee as they carried out their case work,” she said.

Police searched through all of Duritskaya’s belongings, copying the data off her mobile phone. “I told them everything, and I don’t understand why they won’t let me leave,” said Duritskaya, who is the primary witness in Nemtsov’s murder case. She is currently staying with friends in Moscow, under 24-hour police protection. She says the guards don’t allow her to leave the apartment, making it impossible for her even to attend Nemtsov’s funeral on Tuesday, March 3.

Boris Nemtsov, a former deputy prime minister and prominent critic of Vladimir Putin, was shot to death in the center of Moscow, just minutes from the Kremlin, on Friday, February 27. Nemtsov was 55-years-old. Police have yet to make any arrests, and they’ve announced a reward of 3 million rubles (about $48,000) for information leading to the apprehension of the murderers.

Nemtsov’s funeral will take place on Tuesday, March 3. Members of the public can pay their respects at the Sakharov Center, on Moscow’s east side, between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.

On March 2, a Moscow judge refused to allow opposition leader Alexey Navalny out of jail to attend Nemtsov’s funeral. Navalny will remain in lockup until March 6, in accordance with a recent sentence for promoting an unsanctioned protest.