Russian anti-Kremlin journalist Arkady Babchenko reacts during a press
conference at Ukrainian Security Service in Kiev on May 30, 2018.
Ukraine admitted it had staged the murder of anti-Kremlin journalist
Arkady Babchenko in order to foil an attempt on his life by Russia, a
stunning development in a case that had attracted global headlines.
PHOTO | SERGEI SUPINSKY | AFP
KIEV,
Anti-Kremlin
journalist Arkady Babchenko, who has dismissed criticism of helping
stage his own death, disclosed Thursday some details of the ruse that
fooled the world for a day.
Babchenko
made a shocking reappearance at a press conference in Kiev on
Wednesday, more than 12 hours after the Ukrainian authorities reported
he had been shot dead at his home in a contract-style killing.
RUSE
Ukraine's
SBU security service said the ruse was meant to foil a real
assassination plot against Babchenko ordered by Russia and has arrested
the organiser of the crime.
"From
what I know, planning for the special operation got under way two months
ago," Babchenko told journalists, adding he was brought into it one
month ago.
Babchenko said that at first he was
incredulous, and even angry at the SBU, but changed his mind when he saw
the very detailed information the hit man had on him.
Babchenko
left Russia in February 2017 after receiving threats, living first in
the Czech Republic, then in Israel, before moving to Kiev.
A
contributor to a number of media outlets including top opposition
newspaper Novaya Gazeta and an avid blogger, he had sparked emnity by
accusing Russian authorities of killing Kremlin critics and unleashing
wars in Ukraine, Syria and elsewhere.
After Babchenko agreed to cooperate, they needed to cut down on him leaving his apartment.
MURDER
"To
reduce the danger we came up with a cover story that I had broken a leg
in order to explain why I wasn't leaving home," said Babchenko, who
served as a soldier in both Russia's campaign's in Chechnya before
becoming a war correspondent.
Despite the detailed planning the operation had to be rushed into action.
"They
began to put pressure on the guy (the hitman) because they had given
him three weeks to carry it out," said Babchenko, adding they had
planned to stage the killing on June 1.
The day of the operation the make up artist arrived at his apartment at six in the evening.
"We
had already thought out how it would happen, that the murder would take
place on the landing when I opened the door" to go inside, he said.
DECEPTION
Moreover,
Babchenko said he was given a t-shirt with holes for the three gunshots
and was instructed in how to lay down like a dead person in order to
fool any chance witness.
"I had real pig's blood. They covered my mouth, nose and the three bullet holes with it. And behold, I'm dead," said Babchenko.
Then began the operation to deceive the media, the public, and most importantly, the person who ordered the killing.
"My
wife called the police, then the ambulance. The Berkut (police SWAT
team) came in an instant ... they immediately checked the rooms, the
safety of the stairwells, like in a film. They didn't know about the
operation," said the journalist.
At some point a photo was taken of his blood-covered body lying in the stairwell that was later posted on social media.
MORGUE
Ukrainian
authorities told the media that Babchenko had died in the ambulance,
but he said the show continued until "they closed the door of the morgue
behind me."
"There, they resuscitated me," said Babchenko.
Between
the staged murder and his arrival at the morgue four hours had elapsed
during which Babchenko successfully fooled the Ukrainian police and the
world.
Then began the waiting: "I watched the news, how far they went in saying I was a nice guy."
Eventually he was moved out of the morgue to avoid being caught by a persistent journalist.
"I was taken to a safe location. It finished only at five in the morning. Then I could go to sleep."
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