Kremlin: German murder verdict ‘unpleasant’ but shouldn’t affect Putin-Scholz relationship

MOSCOW (Reuters) – The Kremlin said on Thursday a German court verdict that Russian state organs were involved in the murder of a former Chechen militant in a Berlin park in 2019 was an unpleasant episode but should not affect relations between President Vladimir Putin and new German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

Russia’s foreign ministry earlier rejected what it called “unsubstantiated accusations” that Russian state organs were involved in the 2019 killing.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov also said the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, which the United States has said could be hit by sanctions in the event of Russian aggression against Ukraine, was in both Moscow and Berlin’s interests.