Svyatlana Kalinkina: Death of Sheremet Related to His Professional Activity

The murder of well-known journalist is likely politically motivated.

Svyatlana Kalinkina has been colleague and friend of Pavel Sheremet since times in Belorusskaya Delovaya Gazeta, she is co-author of sensational book The Accidental President about Lukashenka. Svyatlana Kalinkina told Radio Svaboda:

"Although I did not know his last plans but I'm sure that Pavel has not done any criminal business and had no debts which could cause a domestic crime. Anyway, I think it is related to his professional activity and it does not matter where - in Ukraine, Russia. Pavel was a part of inner circle of Boris Nemtsov, they used to be good friends. The only thing is left is to make assumptions. But I'm totally sure that it is related to politics."

Svyatlana Kalinkina does not believe that a technical malfunction caused the tragedy. Another thing is that what person this explosion was aimed at:

"As far as I can understand cars cannot explode this way on their own. Although I'm not specialist in this sphere. Now the police take actions at the crime scene. But it looks like a planned action. Another thing is that what person it was aimed at. Alena Pritula has recently told about threats. And, perhaps, it was aimed at the leadership of Ukrainian Truth, but Pavel Sheremet turned out in the car. We can only make assumptions. But it was surely not accidental."

According to Svyatlana, Pavel had few personal contacts after his final move to Moscow and then to Kyiv, but he has been recently concerned about some of his media projects for Belarus:

"I saw him too long ago, but in past few months we had an uninterrupted correspondence on Facebook and Skype. He was also worried about Belarusian Partisan. And our last correspondence was devoted to the Belarusian partisan, further actions, new editor-in-chief and so on.

Now I know what will happen to Belarusian projects: Belarusian Partisan, Historical Truth. Anyway, projects were not darlings of Pavel, but they were aimed at our country. I think we should take care of them."

Family of Pavel is in Moscow. His parents stayed in Minsk. Svyatlana confesses that she cannot find strength to make a call and express sympathy and support. She hopes for her call as soon as she recovers from shock.