Ukraine was under fire Thursday after it admitted staging the murder of anti-Kremlin journalist Arkady Babchenko, despite relief in Russia and Ukraine that he was alive. “The International Federation of Journalists fights against impunity, which benefits journalists’ murderers, but it also demands transparency of information,” he added. Babchenko, who told the press he had been preparing to stage his death with secret services for several weeks, dismissed the criticism. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko later met Babchenko and wrote triumphantly on Facebook that “millions of people are celebrating” the journalist’s return to life. Babchenko, who has repeatedly said he faced death threats, vowed on Twitter to “die at 96 after dancing on Putin’s grave”.

Source: Punch May 31, 2018 14:03 UTC