Russian dissident Garry Kasparov cancels Berlin trip over assassination threat, saying officials have let Putin turn Europe into a playground
Garry Kasparov, a Russian opposition figure and the 13th world chess champion, canceled a trip to Berlin after security services warned of a possible threat to his life, the German tabloid Bild reported.
Russian political dissident Garry Kasparov has abandoned a scheduled trip to Berlin due to an alleged assassination threat, according to German news outlet Bild. The former world chess champion had been set to address Berlin Freedom Week, but opted to deliver a video message to attendees instead. Kasparov acknowledged rumors that Russia was attempting to eliminate him and cited security officials' strong advice against traveling to Berlin as the reason for his cancellation.
He also criticized European authorities for their perceived lack of action against the Russian government, accusing them of allowing Europe to become a "playground" for Vladimir Putin. Kasparov warned that if Putin could target him in Berlin, he could reach other targets in Europe. In September, Spanish newspaper El Mundo reported that Russian authorities had been planning his assassination in the United States.
U.S. authorities stated they had discovered a group of five individuals preparing to assassinate Russian dissidents at the behest of Moscow.
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