Aftermath of Boris Berezovsky assassination attempt

MOSCOW, RUSSIA – JUNE 7, 1994 In the first half of the 1990s, Russia was going through a period of profound change. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, a new economic elite emerged, and some businessmen acquired enormous wealth and political influence during the rapid privatization process. One of the most prominent figures of this group was Boris Berezovsky.

Berezovsky was originally a mathematician who turned to business after the fall of communism. He founded the company LogoVAZ, which was involved in the sale of Lada vehicles, and gradually gained an important position in Russian business. Later, he became one of Russia’s most influential oligarchs, owned stakes in major companies, and also had significant influence over Russian politics. In the 1990s, he was among the closest allies of President Boris Yeltsin.

However, his rapid rise took place during a period when violent conflicts between businessmen, organized crime groups, and various power structures were common in Russia. Business disputes were often not resolved only through legal means, and many Russian entrepreneurs became targets of attacks.

On June 7, 1994, Berezovsky became the victim of one of the most famous assassination attempts in Moscow at the time. The attack took place outside the headquarters of his company LogoVAZ in the city center. As his Mercedes was leaving the area, a bomb placed inside a parked vehicle exploded nearby. The explosion was triggered remotely and was intended to kill Berezovsky.

The force of the explosion destroyed part of the vehicle and caused extensive damage. Berezovsky himself survived the attack but suffered injuries and burns. His bodyguard was seriously injured, and several bystanders were also hurt as a result of the blast.

The most tragic consequences of the attack affected the driver of the Mercedes. A man named Mikhail Kiryanov was sitting in the front of the vehicle and suffered fatal injuries in the explosion. The blast was so destructive that the driver died at the scene. Some reports described that his body was severely mutilated by the explosion.

Investigators later attempted to determine who was behind the attack. Possible motives included business disputes, conflicts between rival groups, and the influence of organized crime, which had significant power in Russia at the time. However, the full circumstances of the attack were never publicly and conclusively resolved.

The assassination attempt became a symbol of the dangerous era of Russian capitalism in the 1990s, when enormous wealth often collided with violence and some of the country’s most powerful businessmen were forced to travel with armed protection. Berezovsky survived the attack and later became one of the most prominent critics of Vladimir Putin, with whom he had originally been politically aligned. He died in 2013 in the United Kingdom.

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boris_Berezovsky_(businessman)