One of Vladimir Putin’s adversaries was discovered dead with stab wounds while residing in Turkey after fleeing Russia. Abakar Abakarov, 49, was a wanted individual linked to inciting anti-Kremlin protests in Dagestan. The Russian government, under Putin’s leadership, had accused Ukraine and Western intelligence of fueling unrest in Russia in 2023, with Abakarov, known for running the anti-Kremlin Telegram channel Morning Dagestan, being tied to these activities. He had been living in Turkey under an assumed identity to evade Russian operatives.
Abakarov’s body was found at a rented residence in Istanbul, where he had been missing for over a week. According to a Russian channel affiliated with the security agency, he had succumbed to multiple stab wounds. Turkish authorities initiated an investigation into the incident but have refrained from commenting.
In a separate incident in October 2023, violent protests erupted at Makhachkala airport in Dagestan, resulting in injuries to over 20 individuals, including nine police officers. The Russian FSB security service had been pursuing Abakarov in connection with the unrest and his anti-Putin stance. Putin had publicly blamed the events in Makhachkala on external influences, particularly Ukraine and Western intelligence agencies.
Coincidentally, French police apprehended a suspected hit squad targeting Vladimir Osechkin, a human rights activist critical of Putin. Osechkin, who had exposed abuses in Russian prisons, including torture against Putin’s opponents, was residing near Biarritz, where the suspects, originally from Dagestan like Abakarov, were detained.
Osechkin, a vocal critic of Moscow, expressed gratitude to the French authorities for apprehending the alleged assassins, emphasizing the importance of thwarting Putin’s violent schemes in Europe. He credited the French police and intelligence services for ensuring his safety, preventing potential attacks orchestrated by Putin’s operatives.