Russian journalist critical of Vladimir Putin found dead on his birthday with gunshot wound to head

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Russian journalist critical of Vladimir Putin found dead on his birthday with gunshot wound to head

August 29th, 2016

Awake Goy

A well-known Russian journalist and critic of President Vladimir Putin has been found dead in his Kiev apartment with a gunshot wound to the head.

The body of Alexander Shchetinin, founder the Novy Region (New Region) press agency, was found at his flat after friends tried to visit him on his birthday.

A police spokesperson said Kiev forces were alerted of Ms Schetinin’s death at around midnight on Saturday. He is believed to have died a few hours earlier, between 8 and 9.30pm.

Officials have speculated that his death was caused by suicide, after a gun was found near his body along with spent cartridges, and the door to his apartment was said to be locked.

Local news source Kyiv Operatyvni reported: “Alexander was sitting on a chair with a gunshot wound to the head (under the chair was a gun).”