Special services benefited from hiding information about Umarov's death, experts say

Russian special services were waiting for a convenient moment to announce the death of Doku Umarov, say Geidar Djemal, the Chairman of the Islamic Committee of Russia, the FSB retired Colonel Gennady Gudkov and Alexei Malashenko, a member of the Scientific Council of the Moscow Carnegie Centre. This was the experts' comment on the statement of Alexander Bortnikov the head of the Russia's Federal Security Bureau (FSB) that "as a result of operational and combat activities, Umarov's activities were neutralized."

Let us note here that Bortnikov's statement, made at the today's sitting of the National Antiterrorist Committee (MAC), did not assert directly the death of Doku Umarov. Earlier, Umarov's death was announced by Ramzan Kadyrov, the head of the Chechen Republic.

The Kadyrov's opinion is no less competent than Bortnikov's one, believes Geidar Djemal. According to his version, it was in the interests of the FSB to conceal Umarov's death, since the disappearance of the leader of "Imarat Kavkaz" "relaxes and removes the dramatic situation."

The expert sticks to the version that Umarov was poisoned. This, he said, is confirmed by the absence of conflicts and antagonisms in the ranks of illegal armed formations (IAFs).

The FSB leadership was waiting for the right moment to announce Umarov's death; and such moment was President Putin's presence at the above sitting, Alexei Malashenko, Professor of the Moscow State Institute of International Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) of the Russian Federation (known as MGIMO), gave his viewpoint.