Russia: Former Police Officer Confesses to Killing Journalist

A former police colonel confessed to killing journalist Maxim Maximov, Orda reports, citing Fontanka.

The former deputy head of an anti-corruption department, Mikhail Smirnov, confessed to killing journalist Maxim Maximov and revealed where he buried the body. 

Searches have begun excavating the forest belt in Beloostrov to find the body.

Smirnov has also confessed to killing the director of a ship-mechanical plant in 1998, according to Russian law enforcement.

The former officer was arrested in May on suspicion of this crime.

Investigators say Smirnov and his accomplices posed as traffic police officers, stopped a car, distracted the driver, and planted an explosive device under the driver's seat. The driver was killed, and two passengers were seriously injured.

Smirnov wants to sign a contract to fight in Ukraine to avoid criminal liability.

Journalist Maxim Maximov worked with Fontanka and the Agency for Journalistic Investigations; he wrote investigations about corruption in law enforcement agencies.

Maximov disappeared on June 29, 2004, after finding out Smirnov was using his former position to demand bribes from officials.