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Believe It or Not: Versions of Sheremet’s Murder

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Believe It or Not: Versions of Sheremet’s Murder
Pavel Sheremet

Chances are high that true motives of journalist's murder are still not specified.

The murder of one of the most famous post-Soviet journalists Pavel Sheremet gave rise to too many versions - although they are apparent at first glance, they are not satisfactory enough.

Zhurnal had main versions analyzed.

As of Saturday, July 23, the Ukrainian investigation had six versions of the reprisal against our fellow countryman and colleague. Personal enmity, professional activity, "Russian trace", attack on common-law wife Olena Pritula and two more versions that are not disclosed.

"Russian Trace"

For obvious reasons, such an explanation of any resonant crime in Ukraine now occurs automatically. How much is it reliable this time?

It has become one of the most satisfactory version (according to adviser to head of the Security Service of Ukraine Yuri Tandit) after the statement of the national deputy Sergei Vysotsky. He assumed that the Sheremet's murder could initiate a major special operation aimed at the situation destabilization in Ukraine. Judging from the fact that investigators treated the information seriously, special services are aware of such preparation activity.

The All-Ukrainian Cross Procession is held in July. Organized by the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate it must end on July 27-28 in Kyiv. Amid recent aggravation of Russian-Ukrainian confrontation on the religious front, the procession and the final prayer is the best target for attacks and provocations that are so easy to be used by the Kremlin propaganda.

On July 17 the Ukrainian intelligence made data on a regular rotation of regular Russian troops in the occupied Donbas and new deliveries of Russian military equipment to rebels public.

What is the role of Sheremet? There is still no direct evidence that his murder is somehow directly related to these events. However, perhaps investigators have more weighty information.

However, the "Russian trace" can be very broad and does not necessarily mean the Kremlin's direct involvement in the organization of the murder. Major Russian media have taken neutral or even sympathetic position in relation to the death of Sheremet. But "New-Russian" grounds and masterminds burst with hatred in relation to the deceased sneering at the remains and humiliating people close to Pavel. The hate degree shows: they could do it.

Whether this version is true or not, the one thing is clear - the Kremlin in its cynical way will try to make the most of the Sheremet's murder and damage Ukraine as much as possible using its ways of propaganda.

Attempt Upon Olena Pritula

This is a very doubtful version. That was a professional murder planned not by an amateur.

For example, the explosives were planted exactly between control pedals and the driver's seat. The blast direction was designed to cause maximum damage to the driver - other passengers, if there were any in the car, would suffer much less despite a charge capacity of 600-800 grams of the TNT; the same applies to the outside environment.

Many friends and acquaintances of Pavel repeatedly said that Olena Prytula did not use the car unlike Pavel. Assassins who followed him must have known that.

In addition, the explosive device was set off remotely - bomb disposal technicians say there was a "call" to activate the bomb. Assassins allegedly did not accept the start key supported detonation.

They likely wanted to be sure that Sheremet would drive the vehicle and only then to set off an explosive.

Professional Activity

As of July 23 this is the basic version of the crime.

The killed has recently had two job places - Ukrayinska Pravda - the largest and the most ultimate online editions, and Radio Vesti. Rumor has it that fugitive oligarchs related to Yanukovich who are accused of pro-Russian position are behind Radio Vesti.

The Ukrayinska Pravda (UP) is famous for its sensational investigations running on illicit enrichment of oligarchs and corruption. However, Ukrainian journalists Zhurnal managed to talk to say that Pavel did not investigate anything of this kind. However, the final text of Pavel was of blog nature - it could seriously cast down people of influence associated with the volunteer battalions in the Ukrainian-Russian war.

In addition, Sheremet was the executive director of the editorial. Ukrainian media report that the UP with their investigations has faced off against people of the Interior Minister Arsen Avakov, and ex-Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk - the head of one of the most influential groups in post-Maidan elite - around the privatization of Odessa Portside Plant.

On the eve of the Sheremet's murder the UP became the main figure in a scandal: on the Internet there was published a photo which showed the meeting of former leader Sergei Leshchenko and current UP editor-in-chief Sevğil Musayeva-Borovyk with oligarch Grigorishin - "standing in opposition to Poroshenko's bloc". That was a hot-button issue, people used to criticize the editorial for its selectivity factor: they say it is unclear why the UP does not investigate cases concerning Grigorishin. At the time the information was published representatives of the UP did not comment on the fact and content of those meetings.

Sheremet used to host a morning programme on Radio Vesti - the largest Ukrainian varied speech radio station. He was driving there on July 20. Topic raised there were of different nature and not always political.

However, this radio station has always been in the limelight: some people in Ukraine blamed it for owners related to Russia, others - political journalists, emigrants from Russia Matvey Ganapolsky and Evgeny Kiselev - stood for the fact that the Russian origin of the capital unveiled two years after the Maidan did not relate to the pro-Kremlin policy of the editorial office: they say, it is business - and heads may not intervene in the editorial policy, it happens sometimes.

There are no acute topics or attacks on anyone on accounts of the deceased. Last photo made by Sheremet on Instagram was a jar of honey, a gift from the "orange" president Viktor Yushchenko. Sheremet, however, expected that Yushchenko would have a grouch on him, he apparently got his hand in the satirical video which laughed at promoted by PR people of Yushchenko "thin" video.

However, the version that Sheremet damaged someone with his activity moves beyond recent activities of the deceased. It could be an old matter. If consider the experience of Pavel in sound journalism in Belarus, Russia and Ukraine it could be possible.

What is more it is not necessary to look for traces in already published articles.

Perhaps, he had some information or documents which could cause serious problems to people of influence. Ukrainian investigators have promised to ask Google and Facebook for all the correspondence of the deceased, as well as to analyze his telephone activity. The analysis may find out whether Pavel digged up on someone.

Personal Enmity

This version is popular in a general form when motives are not clear. However, in this case it did not appear immediately, but hours later, after the statements of officials. Perhaps, investigators got some information not publicly voiced and wanted to have it checked. Just in case.

Anyway, this version is wrapped in obscurity. There are no facts of any deadly feud and it cannot be speculated on. Let's wait for new details in the investigation.

The only common thing of all versions is that they are not hard to plumb. Their multiplicity means they are not the most reliable ones.

Chances are high that true motives are not as obvious as it may seem.

We can only wish luck to Ukrainian investigators and their colleagues from the EU and the United States who have joined the investigation of the crime.

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