Germany expels two Russian diplomats after an asylum seeker was murdered in Berlin

In the latest developments in the killing of a Georgian asylum seeker in Berlin, the German prosecutor confirmed on December 4 that the evidence suggests that the Russian state allegedly ordered the murder. They further said that they will be taking over the case investigations from now on. 

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Germany takes over the investigation

During the hearing, the Prosecution confirmed that there is sufficient evidence to prove that the murder was executed on the order of the Russian state or Chechnya. The new findings will require the German chancellor Angela Merkle to take some serious actions and send a strong signal to Russia. The German Foreign Ministry has already expelled two Russian diplomats from the Russian Embassy, Berlin. They have been designated as personae non-gratae. Both the Russian diplomats were under suspicion. The details and identity have not been revealed. The German federal prosecution further said that it took over the murder investigation as the Russian authorities were not cooperating as much as was required. 

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Tornike K.

Zelimkhan Khangoshvili, a 40-year-old man was executed last August at Berlin's Kleiner Tiergarten park. He was shot in his head and chest in the daylight by the suspect who is a 49-year old Russian national according to the prosecution. Khangoshvili was a refugee who was seeking asylum in Berlin. He was a resident of Georgia who has fought against Russia in the Second Chechen War from 1999 - 2009. Since the murder investigations began, there was evidence that pointed towards the involvement of the Russian Intelligence Agency. However, Moscow denied any kind of involvement in the murder. 

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Khangoshvili, after the war ended, worked against Russian interests along with Ukraine and Georgia. He is also identified as "Tornike K.". In a statement by the Prosecution, they said that he has been classified as a terrorist by the Russian authorities and accordingly persecuted. 

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(with inputs from agencies)