Why was the United Russia rector killed?

In Nalchik today they said goodbye to the rector of the Kabardino-Balkarian State Agrarian University Boris Zherukov, who was shot dead in his office the day before. The investigation has already identified suspects in the murder of Zherukov, and law enforcement officers consider the professional activities of the rector to be the main version of the murder.

At approximately 11:00 two unknown persons entered the KBGSHA building. They went to Zherukov’s office, where they killed the rector with two shots to the head. Zherukov was also the leader of the United Russia faction in the parliament of Kabardino-Balkaria. Investigators consider Zherukov’s professional activities to be the main version of the murder.

United Russia asked to transfer the murder investigation to Moscow. The Secretary of the General Council of the Party addressed this request to the Russian Minister of Internal Affairs, Vladimir Kolokoltsev.

Those who killed the rector acted quickly, a source in the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Kabardino-Balkaria told PublicPost: “There were cameras installed at the university. They have already been seized by investigators. They show that the criminals acted very quickly. It took them almost three minutes. Security let these two through because ., according to one of the guards, they said that they were going to give the rector some important documents, that he was waiting for them, they quickly tied up Zherukov’s secretary and pushed him into an adjacent room, ran to the rector and immediately shot him twice." .

Kabardino-Balkarian Agricultural University, where rector Boris Zherukov was killed. Photo: ITAR-TASS

At the university itself, they adhere to different versions of the murder, KBGSHA student Adil Khazretov told PublicPost: “On our television it was reported that Boris Khadzhimuratovich and journalist Kazbek Gekkiev were killed by the same person - militant Zeytun Boziev, like this is his check by Doku Umarov, who wants to appoint him Amir of Kabardino-Balkaria. The security guard recognized Rector Boziev as one of the murderers.

Students and teachers make many theories about the murder. “In addition to militants, for example, contract killers could also kill the rector. They want to merge our university with another agricultural university, but Boris Khadzhimuratovich opposed this. Maybe because of this. Also, he was a member of United Russia. I didn’t see it myself. But as a classmate told me, on extremist sites they write that the rector was killed because of his party affiliation, that a hunt was opened for United Russia members, and they wanted to start it with the murder of the deputy minister of transport of the republic, Vladislav Dyadchenko, whom they recently tried to blow up ."

The murder of Zherukov could be committed with the aim of destabilizing the situation in the region, Valery Khatazhukov, chairman of the Human Rights Center of Kabardino-Balkaria, told PublicPost: “They killed journalist Gekkiev, they tried to kill Deputy Minister of Transport Dyadchenko, they killed Zherukov. All these crimes are certainly aimed at destabilizing the situation in republic. They are very resonant. I don’t have my own versions of Zherukov’s murder. There could be a lot of things, but I agree with the investigation that professional activities could be the reason.”

A criminal case has been opened into the murder of Zherukov under two articles of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation - 105 (murder), 222 (illegal trafficking in weapons). The rector was buried today.