Zaur Dadaev Suspected of organizing and committing the murder of Boris Nemtsov Date of Birth: 31.10.1986 Country: Pakistan

Biography of Zaur Dadaev

Zaur Sharipovich Dadaev was born on October 31, 1983, in Makhachkala, Russia. He grew up in a family of four children in the town of Voznesenskaya, Ingushetia. In 2014, due to the danger of landslides in the area, Dadaev's mother and younger sister moved to the city of Malgobek. By that time, his father had already passed away.

After completing his studies at the Nalchik Communal Construction College, Zaur Dadaev joined the military service in 2001. Initially, he was part of anti-terrorist centers. In 2006, he became a member of the newly formed battalion called "Sever" (North), where he served as the deputy commander and held the rank of lieutenant. Dadaev received several awards for his participation in special operations to neutralize terrorist groups near Benoy in 2009 and Centaroy in 2010, including the Order of Courage and medals for his bravery.

In December 2014, Dadaev submitted a report requesting his discharge from the military due to his mother's poor health. On February 28, 2015, after the expiration of his leave, he was officially removed from the military lists.

In late February, Dadaev was in Moscow, providing services to a debt collection company along with his acquaintances, including Rustam Geremeev, a relative of the commander of the "Sever" battalion and a member of the State Duma, Adam Delimkhanov. He was involved in resolving a licensing issue for one of the banks and frequently met with clients at a restaurant in the capital. However, these meetings were later reported to the authorities by an informant, and recordings from a dashboard camera were used as evidence.

Dadaev was arrested along with four other individuals and accused of the murder of Boris Nemtsov, a prominent opposition politician. During the investigation, Dadaev confessed to his involvement in the crime, stating that his motive was Nemtsov's anti-Muslim statements and his position on the Charlie Hebdo incident.

However, Dadaev later claimed that he had an alibi at the time of the murder. He stated that on March 5, he was kidnapped and taken to Moscow with his friend and fellow serviceman Rustam Yusupov. He alleged that they were subjected to threats and torture, including being tied to a battery, having a bag placed over their heads, and being electrocuted. Dadaev claimed to experience ongoing pain in his legs as a result of the torture. He also mentioned that his confession was given under duress, and the price of his friend's release and his own survival was providing incriminating testimony.

Ramzan Kadyrov, who personally knew Dadaev, came to his defense and ordered an investigation into the circumstances of his discharge from the military. Dadaev's defense lawyer, Ivan Gerasimov, was prepared to confirm his alibi. Another lawyer, Shamsudin Tsakaev, advocated for linguistic expertise and stress testing of Dadaev's confessions, arguing that the writing style did not match Dadaev's education and manner of speech.

Dadaev agreed to undergo a lie detector test. The ongoing investigation by journalists suggests that while Dadaev may not have been the actual triggerman (as his shooting skills would not have required five shots), he likely had knowledge of all the participants in the crime and its mastermind. The surname Geremeev is increasingly mentioned, with speculation that a high-ranking relative may have been the direct instigator of the murder. As for Dadaev himself, it appears that he intends to remain silent about these matters until the end.