Top Environmental Official Killed in Russia’s Volga Region

Text of report by Russian Ren TV on 22 February

[Presenter] The head of [the Russian Natural Resources Ministry's] main directorate of natural resources and environmental protection in charge of Samara Region, Nikolay Bezuglov, has been killed in Samara.

Bezuglov was shot this morning when leaving his house in Ulitsa Lenina [street], the regional prosecutor’s office said.

[Correspondent] The head of the Russian Natural Resources Ministry’s main directorate of natural resources and environmental protection in charge of Samara Region, Nikolay Bezuglov, was killed this morning. The murder occurred at about 0730 [0430 gmt] when he was leaving his house in Ulitsa Lenina. The regional prosecutor’s office’s information suggests that Bezuglov has been shot. An investigation group is currently working at the scene. The prosecutor’s office of Samara’s Oktyabrskiy district has started criminal proceedings under the [Criminal Code] article dealing with murder. The incident’s details or theories have not been reported so far.

[In a later report at 0701 gmt, RIA new agency, Moscow, in Russian, named Bezuglov's position as head of regional forestry agency.]