Foreign diplomats pay tribute to Russian opposition leader Boris Nemtsov

Citizens of Moscow and foreign diplomats pay tribute to Russian opposition leader Boris Nemtsov, who was murdered on this day in 2015.

Nemtsov, who was once the deputy prime minister under Boris Yeltsin, was shot as he walked across a bridge with his girlfriend. Five men from Chechnya were ultimately convicted for his murder in 2017.

The American ambassador to Russia was among those who lay a floral tribute on the bridge where Nemtsov was killed. The U.S Embassy and Consulate in Russia released a statement saying: " As we remember Boris Nemtsov and his legacy, we also recognize those brave Russians who continue to work in the face of severe repression for a brighter future for their country."

"We renew our call on the Government of Russia to keep its constitutional promises to its people and protect their rights."

Nemtsov was a vocal critic of current Russian president Vladimir Putin and a critic of the 2014 annexation of Crimea from Ukraine calling the decision one of Putin's "most serious of crimes."

According to Russian media, one person was detained for placing flowers at the memorial site in 2023.