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A Spanish police officer: "No doubt about it"
Photo: Emilio Morenatti / AP
The brutal murder caused a stir in Spain: the perpetrators shot the suspected Russian deserter Maxim Kuzminov six times and then ran him over with a car.
The car used in the crime was later found burned out in a neighboring town.
According to media reports, Spanish secret services now assume that Kuzminov was killed on behalf of Moscow.
"The Spanish secret services have no doubt that the long arm of the Kremlin is behind this unprecedented crime in Spain: the murder of Maxim Kuzminov in Alicante," the newspaper "El País" reported on Thursday.
Russia welcomed Kuzminov's death
According to the secret service, the only question is "whether the operation was carried out by the SVR, the FSB security service or the Russian secret service GRU," the newspaper reports.
However, obtaining evidence will be “very difficult.”
Diplomatic circles demanded that Spain “react energetically” if Moscow’s involvement in the case was confirmed.
The Russian foreign secret service SVR welcomed the news of Kuzminov's death, but neither confirmed nor denied Moscow's involvement.
Kuzminov flew to Ukraine in his Mi-8 helicopter in August and spoke out against the Russian military offensive.
Two other Russians who were on board the helicopter were killed as they tried to escape after landing in Ukraine.
The 33-year-old's alleged body was found on February 13th in Villajoyosa, southern Spain.
According to Spanish media, Kuzminov's identity was confirmed using his fingerprints.
However, the Spanish authorities have not yet confirmed that the dead man was the Russian who fled.
The police told the AFP news agency on Thursday that there was no new information about the case, and the Interior Ministry declined to comment.
When contacted by AFP, the Ministry of Defense, which is responsible for the Spanish intelligence services, said: "Let the police do their job."
mrc/AFP