Markelov was shot to death on 19 January 2009 on
Prechistenka street while leaving a news conference in Moscow less than from the
Kremlin; he was 34.
Anastasia Baburova, a journalist for
Novaya Gazeta who tried to come to Markelov's assistance, was also shot and killed in the attack. The
president of Ukraine Viktor Yushchenko sent a telegram to the parents of Anastasia Baburova on 23 January 2009. Russian President
Dmitry Medvedev offered his condolences six days later.
Reactions Close to 300 young people protested in Moscow with slogans such as "
United Russia is a fascist country" and "Markelov will live forever". More than 2,000 people took to the streets of
Grozny.
Human Rights Watch and
Amnesty International requested an impartial investigation. A
hate crimes expert,
Galina Kozhevnikova, said in February 2009 that she received an
e-mailed threat warning her to "get ready" to join Markelov.
Investigation In November 2009, Russian authorities declared the end of the criminal investigation. The murder suspects were 29-year-old Nikita Tikhonov and his girlfriend, 24-year-old Yevgenia Khasis, a radical nationalist couple involved with a group called Russky Obraz or
Russian Image () and associated with the
identitarian organization Combat Organization of Russian Nationalists. ==References==