Dmitry Kholodov – Status: Solved – No Justice

Kholodov was killed inside his newsroom when a briefcase bomb exploded on his desk. The briefcase had been delivered by a source who claimed it contained documents proving military corruption. He opened it while preparing for publication. The explosion killed him instantly and injured several colleagues. The method and precision of the attack indicated a planned operation intended to silence him permanently.

Dmitry Kholodov’s last words/work: “If these documents are real, this could shake the whole Ministry.”

Journalist Information:

Name: Dmitry Kholodov

Age: 27

Gender: Male

DOB: 21/06/1967

Nationality: Russian

Last company worked for: Moskovsky Komsomolets newspaper

Family: Survived by his wife and two children

Incident Information:

Date of incident – October 17, 1994

Location of the incident – Moscow, Russia

Offense victim of: Assassination

Weapons included – Bomb

Suspect(s) Information:

Name: Russian Military

Proof of Targeting the Journalist: The explosive was disguised as journalistic material related to Kholodov’s investigations into military corruption. Evidence and testimonies later revealed that the attack was orchestrated to prevent further exposure of high-level embezzlement. The targeting was direct, calculated, and aimed at deterring investigative journalism into state and defense corruption.

Reason for Killing: Kholodov’s reporting had implicated senior military officials in corruption and illegal enrichment schemes. His final investigation concerned the theft of funds intended for army housing and operations in Chechnya. The attack was designed to stop the publication of that report and to send a message to the wider press.

Progress of the Case: Six individuals, including two officers from the elite airborne division, were tried twice — in 2002 and again in 2004 — but both juries acquitted them, citing lack of conclusive evidence. The verdicts were widely criticized by international press freedom groups, including CPJ, RSF, and OSCE, as emblematic of Russia’s deep impunity for crimes against journalists. Nearly three decades later, Kholodov’s murder remains unsolved and unpunished, symbolizing the enduring dangers of investigative reporting in Russia.

Read More: https://cpj.org/reports/2006/09/kholodov/