- Russian Senator Arrested for Plotting Murder
A Russian senator from the ruling party has been arrested on suspicion of ordering a murder. The Federation Council, the upper house of the Russian parliament in Moscow, voted to strip Senator Dmitri Saweljew of his immunity, a spokesperson said. Saweljew (53) was arrested immediately after leaving the session, the state-run Russian news agency TASS reported.
According to the Russian prosecutor's office, the high-ranking politician allegedly hired a hitman to kill a businessman in August 2023. The plot was foiled, but the supposed crime was staged to expose the mastermind and organizers. "The murder was staged by security services to uncover the client and the organizers," a spokesperson said. Saweljew allegedly paid the promised fee - according to the newspaper "Izvestia," it was 100,000 US dollars (92,600 euros).
The former oil manager Saweljew belongs to the Kremlin party United Russia. He has represented the region of Tula, south of Moscow, in the Federation Council since 2016, previously serving as a State Duma deputy. In recent weeks, there have been several high-profile arrests of high-ranking officials on suspicion of corruption. However, action against a senator for suspected murder is unusual. In the 1990s, many economic conflicts in Russia were resolved through contract killings.
The Russian prosecutor's office reveals a plot to murder a businessman in August 2023, allegedly orchestrated by Senator Dmitri Saweljew. Despite the murder plot being foiled, Saweljew is accused of hiring a hitman and paying a fee of 100,000 US dollars.
