The thing that I find appalling about this article is that the authors basically exposed the journalist to potential harm before her departure from Russia. (See the 22 March article in the Moscow Times) Anyone familiar with the events in question knew the identity of the journalist, regardless of the weak attempts to disguise it. In this case, nothing happened to her. But just to be safe, couldn't you have waited 10 days to run your article? This is the kind of willingness to sacrifice anything or anyone to get a scoop that gives journalists a bad name.

Dmitry, Cambridge, MA, USA

You guys don't be so afraid of us )) Just start getting used to the fact that there is one more very strong and rich state, biggest in the world. It is named RUSSIAN FEDERATION, and you have to give RESPECT.
Do not think you will be teaching us how to live and what to think and whom to like.

Alexey, Moscow, Russian Federation

Killings may leave Bush a hounded man.“The biggest concern for Bush is what he is going to do after he retires and loses his immunity as head of state,” “He should be afraid of turning into another Pinochet or Hitler.Bush likes to travel abroad and one day he may go downhill skiing in Europe and find himself behind bars.”Critics hope the threat to prosecute Bush in the West may restrain his regime. The international outcry is unsettling Bush,He is concerned about the amount of immunity he will have. There is a lot of hard thinking going on, about what kind of position he could hold in future.What degree of immunity from prosecution a former head of state has depends partly on his successors. That’s why they worry so much about who is going to succeed them,I’d advise Bush to get a nice governmental title and a good international lawyer.Good luck!

Alexand, london, uk

"only when your democrats will to withdraw troops from conquered countrys"...
Alexand, even president of Iran said on UN assembly that USA freed Iraq and peoples of Iraq have got elected government. You so hate USA that can’t see the TRUTH.

“I suggest letting Russians decide who is their friend and their enemy”

Germans also very loved Gitler and thought Gitler’s enemy is enemy to Germany. Today russians so love Putin…

Sergey, New York,

Clause was written by the sick person! To arrest it is necessary Bush!

Vadim, Moscow, Russian

Alexand, London.....if you believe that, you'll believe anything. Get real

hero, Preston,

Hey Kylie, Oleg can leave the west,only when your democrats will to withdraw troops from conquered countrys.Hey Kylie who told you that in US journalists are allowed to tell the truth?You know that in Irak amerikans dont allowed journalists to record all what happenes.We can see on tv only what journalists are allowed to show to us.But in US journalists are under very eficient control,its a very sophisticated machinery of state.

Alexand, london, UK

A journalist from theCaucasus, who works for the news agency "Regnum", has made public today that all rumors about her allegedly asking for political asylum in the US are complete nonsense. She is going to the US soon but for studies purpose and she does not intend to stay in the US forever.

It seems that the British reporters have transformed themselves into mouthpieces for someone else's propaganda. What a disgrace.

Santa, Kin,

There was no need for the last comment from Oleg. He does not have a threat, he is a russian who lives already in west. And if he doesn't like Bush he can just move back to Russia. And if he likes hazard he could just become a journalist. I'm not saying Bush is pure good guy but in US journalists are allowed to tell the truth NOT IN RUSSIA. Wake up Oleg and return home

Kylie, Sydney, Australia

I really think this has gotten far enough. I think that it is time for the people so proud for giving us barbarians democracy and rule of law to start respecting the laws of their own country. My advice to Ms. Baxter and Ms. Voutsen, as well as the Times publisher: start studying the Defamation Act. And get "a good international lawyer". There is not a shred of evidence in support of your libellious statements that Mr. Putin is somehow guilty in any of the unfortunate events cited above. There is ample evidence that you, as well as other journalists, repeatedly accused Mr. Putin in very serious offences without a shred of proof. There is ample evidence that these unlawful actions have seriously damaged the reputation and interests of not only Mr. Putin but of the whole Russia. I believe Mr. Putin thinks that, as a head of a state, he is above all that. He might be right - now. But when he becomes a private citizen, I wonder who would feel hounded then, Mr. Putin - or your publisher.

Oleg, Ontario, Canada

The U.S. Embassy to Moscow alreadey denied that anybody resembling the journalist described in the article asked for asylum. In fact, in order to ask for asylum you have to be in the country, not outside. Nobody can "promise" asylum to a person while he or she is still outside the country. Obviously, the whole article is based on falsification. The most ridiculous part of the article is that the author pretending to "hide" the journalist's identity doesn’t want to provide her real name, and at the same time he gives so many clues that anybody working in press (or FSB) can tell who this person is.

Anton, Atlanta, USA

oh, another russian who lives in west has written comment to support putin. Vladimir from Jackson, MI, we pray you'll return to ruaais as a journalist. good luck

Kylie, Sydney, Australia

I don't see the connection between Quatar and Lugovoi. Following this logic, one can find a connection between death of Miloshevich and hanging of Saddam Husain. The assasination of Yandarbiev saved many lives in Russia because its stopped some money flowing to "rebels" in Chechnya. If Americans had a chance to do the same to Bin Laden they wouldn't wait a second. Just look at the bounty sum on BL's head. I suggest letting Russians decide who is their friend and their enemy, not by some "exile" from London. UK should be looking very carefull who are their real friends in this uncertain world. I don't think that a very dodgy character as Berezovsky or Zakaev who was a member of the same goverment were Basayev (the self-confessed murderer of Beslan children) was a minister. As another point, I belive that this article in Times is a starting point in another anti-Putin campaing. Well, let's see where it will come to. I hope Russia will remember this campaing and will learn the lesson.

Oleg, Toronto, Canada

According to Reporters without borders (http://www.rsf.org/killed_2006.php3) 82 journalists were killed in 2006, but only 3 of them in Russia.( And BTW, one of them - Ilya Zimin was proved to be killed by male prostitute, and killer is already arrested)
Moreover, 32 media assistants were killed, but strangely - no one of them in Russia. (http://www.rsf.org/media_2006.php3)
Also, 138 journalists were put to prison, but again - no one of them in Russia. (http://www.rsf.org/rubrique.php3?id_rubrique=116)
Yes. that clearly shows how much eeeevil "those Russkies" are, and certainly, no firther evidence is needed to convict Putin as mass murderer.

Mouslim, Moscow, Russia

This lot never changes. 70 years ago it was "enemies of people", 25 years ago it was "antisovetchiki" , now it's "enemies of Putin and Russia". Maybe for once enemies of Putin are not enemies of Russia, maybe it's the opposite - Putin and his friends are enemies of Russia? Maybe in Qatar there were also enemies of Putin in 2004? Where are those 2 chaps by the way? Where is Lugovoi? Is he friend of Putin? Is that why he feels so safe and comfortable in Moscow?

Andrei, London, UK

This "poisoning" thing becomes really tiresome. Who do these poor russophobes think they are - some kind of comic relief? They should slow down with this circus, or they'll run out of "experts" and "critics" before we Russians slap our knees away from laughter.

Alex, Magadan, Russia

If Putin is to be blamed for every death in Russia, than Bush and Blair are to be blamed for every death in Iraq and Afganistan. It is obvious that there is a campaign to discredit Putin's team before presedential elections in Russia in 2008. People are killed to on order to put the blame on Putin. It is obvious that there will be more deaths coming for exactly this reason. Enemies of Putin and Russia will be killing innocent people, so everyone again belives in "evil Russia" and "dictator Putin". Western mass media will spin these stories as much as possible as they always did despite the fact that NOTHING has been proven so far to blame Putin. How about presumption of innocence for a change? Or it doesn't apply to Russians? Were is the evidence? Or you take the stories of asylym seeker in US and try to make everybody believe them? Well they all have stories to tell, ask any immigration officer. By the way, my neck hurts today, it must be evil Putin trying to kill me. :)))

Oleg, Toronto, Canada

I agree with the previous reader. Whenever I see a story about a russian person seeking a refuge in USA I know that it's very likely that the goal was to get out of Russia and end up with a green card by any means. No one have heard about any russian journalist running for life and hiding in Poland, Ukraine, or any other neighboring democratic NATO countries. There a refuge would at least be able to speak their slavic language and the escape motives would sound much more plausible.

Vladimir, Jackson, MI

It is doubtful causation between all these killings and Russian authorities. I don"t understand the aim. I think Putin has many other resources to silence journalists except murders. All these cases made so much noise and critical reviews in mass media. Does' it cost so? I don't think that FSB and Putin so stupid. It is a false conclusion.

alex, Siberia, Russian Federation