Murder for Show

We will talk here about double slaying of Stanislav Markelov and Anastasiya Baburova on January, 19 in the center of Moscow. I shall not touch upon the death of national-bolshevik Anton Stradymov - not only because he died under different circumstances, in the different place but also because his murder had essentially different character. We will talk later about it. I shall not stark talking about great loss the left movement sustained as well as all decent people in Russia (especially - those who knew him personally). Though the loss is really great, now it's a time when it is necessary to forget about emotions and to operate extremely with facts and logic.

Majority of versions of the event (there wasn't any deficiency of such last week) resulted in the fact that the lawyer Markelov crossed a road to some influential people, for as he forfeited his life. It was supposed that it is connected to the case of a forest in Khimki, the same was the reason of injuries (nearly - death) of Michael Beketov. Journalist Anastasiya Baburova (physically strong girl who spent many years studying martial arts) tried to detain the murderer but received in result a fatal wound. It is quite possible that it was really so.

What is the reason then of all this theatricality? What is the reason to organize firing in Prechistenka, within a stone's throw away from Boulevard Ring (for living not in Moscow I explain: it is the center of the capital, the Kremlin could be seen from this place)?

Why then to do it on the very eyes of a crowd of witnesses, under a sight of videocameras, risking to be caught?

Let's notice, there was nothing of the kind in the case with Stradimov: he was killed with sufficient care and there are less "tails" in his case, than in the case of his comrade Chervochkin.

Imagine, the reader, the killer. Imagine that you "are put out a contract on" the lawyer who stick a gizzard to someone from serious people. Your actions? I assume that you, most likely, would catch a victim in a dark gate, crashed him with a brick on a head and work over (say, it's a robbery). Event for modern Moscow so typical that nobody would pay any special attention to it. Certainly, there would be conversations about connection of this death with Budanov's release ... but conversations and that's all. It would cause any complications to you and your customer. And what do we have instead of it?

In exchange - murder for show. Markelov was being killed in such a way that it was seen as much as possible, so that as many people as possible would start talking about that murder. For certain the shooter had an opportunity to go away from Baburova not killing her. But - the more victims, the better for him. The main thing in this murder - its demonstrative character.

No matter how monstrous it sounds, Markelov and Baburova were killed first of all in order that we would start talking about it. Actually, there were already assumptions in Network on that theme: for example, that the murder was called to pit the left against national patriots. But whether there's any sense in it, if they already have cat and dog life? Anyway, probability that they will be united in struggle against mode now aspires to a minus infinity.

Meanwhile, both victims of Prechistenka adhered to the left sights. It would be most correct to call Markelov a non-party social democrat, Baburova was anarchist and rather active one. Not only the lawyer and the journalist were killed on Monday in Moscow, but also the left active workers - one shouldn't forget about it. They were killed, we shall repeat, for show. From subjective point of view which the author has, there's one aim of this murder - to frighten. To show everyone whom it concerns: if you start sticking your head out - the same thing will be done with you. It's not so important, whether people they were killed by people being in the government's employ - or by fanatics from quazi-patriot organizations on a tip of the same civil servants (in epaulettes or without). It is important, that those murders were accomplished in the interests of authority. And those murders - political.

Yes, neither Markelov, nor Baburova, nor Stradimov were not dangerous to authorities by themselves. But that is the essence of terror (lat terror - horror) that its purpose - not to destroy concrete people but to frighten those who survived.

Already at the end of December, after Vladivostok, it became clear that authority staked exclusively on fear (probably because everything else is not within its pocket). Меdvedev and Putin (see, sirs conspiracy theorists whose surname I put the first) follow a principle excellently formulated in due time by emperor Kaligula: "Oderint dum metuant".

Whether this policy reaches the purpose? It's difficult to say now. It will become clear after mass actions planned for January, 31 and February, 1 - we shall see how many people will join them and how all these people will behave. While it's clear with definiteness only one thing: these murders have completely opposite effect on the left youth of Moscow. The death of Nastya Baburova didn't frighten the Moscow anarchists but enraged them - their indignation next day, turned out into violence in Zamoskvorechye testified it. Anarchists clearly let know that it's dangerous thing to touch them - in answer they won't keep silent. No head was broken, no car was burnt but a hint, probably, was understood - Moscow if anything crops up can easily turn to Athenes. And nevertheless ...

I would like very much to make a mistake but it seems that murders f the left will proceed. The same as the murders of Markelov and Baburova - impudent and defiantly unpunished (in fact it's already clear that the shooter won't be find, he won't be even to be searched for).

The last year trade-union leader Alexey Etmanov could protect himself from attack with a traumatic pistol - but it won't help a lot against a fighting pistol. Karin Kleman after the story with a syringe goes under protection of comrades - but whether such protection will help against a bullet? That's what it's. There is a hope that authority will understand: violence from its side will generate only reciprocal violence. Therefore many thanks to the Moscow anarchists - having broken some show-windows in Zamoskvorechye, they, quite probably, rescued not one human life. Certainly there is little hope that authority will see reason but nevertheless ...

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