21:00, 13 June 2009

Former vice-premier assassinated in Ingushetia

Bashir Aushev, former vice-premier of the republic who worked until now in the government was murdered in Ingushetia.

"At about 6:30 p.m. Moscow time unidentified persons shelled the car with Mr Aushev on the move. As a result of the attack he received plural gunshot wounds, from which he died on the way to the hospital," the Department for Ingushetia of the Investigatory Committee at the Prosecutor's Office (ICPO) of the Russian Federation has reported.

According to the ICPO, the attackers moved in a white VAZ-2107 car and disappeared immediately after the attack, as reported by the "Interfax" Agency.

Under President Murat Zyazikov, in the government of Ingushetia Bashir Aushev, 62, was in charge of power agencies; during Ruslan Aushev's presidency in the 1990s, Bashir Aushev headed the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) of Ingushetia.