Police comment on assassination of deputy head of Smolensk region

The investigation considers official activities of Vladimir Prokhorov,deputy head of the Smolensk region administration, as the main reason forhis assassination, the press service of the Russian Interior Ministryreported citing Mikhail Nikiforov, deputy head of the Interior Ministry'sdepartment on crimes, who had visited Smolensk with a group of experts.According to the officer, Prokhorov revealed several facts of the misuse offinances by the previous administration of the region. In particular,Prokhorov stopped the practice of buying coal for the region at high pricesand stopped buying medicines without tenders. Moreover, he revealed seriousfinancial violations of the Smolenskenergo energy company.Prokhorov was killed in Smolensk at 8:10 on August 7 when he was on his wayto work. He died of five wounds in his head and back. Two criminals thatassassinated him escaped on a motorbike. .