KIEV: Ukrainian law enforcement chiefs on Friday met Western diplomats to brief them on Kiev’s decision to stage a contract-style killing of Russian journalist Arkady Babchenko, which has prompted widespread criticism. Around a dozen diplomats went to Ukraine’s Prosecutor-General’s Office for a meeting behind closed doors that lasted nearly two hours, AFP journalists saw. The SBU and the Prosecutor-General’s Office then revealed that the announcement of his death, which prompted a grief-stricken reaction around the world, had been made as part of a sting operation. It claims the murder plot was organised by the Russian secret services and envisaged killing not only Babchenko but also some 30 others. The way the murder was staged has attracted much criticism, particularly from organisations representing journalists, which questioned the need for such extreme tactics.

Source: New Strait Times June 01, 2018 18:11 UTC