MURDER OF MOSCOW REGIONAL MAYOR DESCRIBED AS CONTRACT KILLING.

The mayor of the town of Zhukovsky, in Moscow Region, was shot dead June 13. Police said the murder was not being seen as a political crime. The mayor, Viktor Mosalov, was a businessman until March of this year and police believe his murder was connected with his business activities. (Interfax, May 13)

Voting Starts in Chechnya.