Journalist killed in Russia’s North Caucasus

A television news presenter has been shot dead in a city centre of Russia's North Caucasus area, the latest in a series of deadly attacks against journalists in the region, officials have said.

A senior regional transportation official in the same region also barely escaped an attempt on his life, authorities said.
The two incidents occurred within several hours of each other between Wednesday evening and Thursday morning in the city of Nalchik, the regional centre of the Kabardino-Balkaria region. It was not clear if they were linked.
Kazbek Gekkiyev, the 28-year-old journalist, was gunned down on Wednesday evening at about 9:00pm local time as he was returning from work, the regional interior ministry said.
Gekkiyev worked as a news presenter at the regional branch of state channel VGTRK. Colleagues said that he had not covered any stories that were considered to be controversial.

Unknown assailants shot him three times, and the journalist died on the spot, said the Moscow-based Investigative Committee.
"The investigation considers ... this brazen crime was a warning to other journalists who are reporting on the results of the fight against the bandit underground groups operating in the region," the committee said.

VGTRK's federal news report shown in Moscow said Gekkiyev's assailants apparently made sure he worked for the news programme before opening fire.

Several hundred people gathered at the young man's funeral in his native village, VGTRK reported, showing crowds of people mourning and praying in the countryside.