Witness identifies accused Vadim Krasikov in Berlin's Tiergarten murder trial, linking him to Russian state services

On October 27, 2021, during the Tiergarten murder trial in Berlin, a witness named V. identified the accused Vadim Krasikov as his brother-in-law and confirmed strong indications that Krasikov worked with Russian state services to carry out the assassination of Zelimkhan Khangoshvili. Initially reluctant due to fear of Russian special forces targeting him, the witness later returned from Kharkiv, Ukraine to provide his testimony, underscoring the politically charged nature of the case. Krasikov allegedly has links to prior killings and training at Russian military institutions. The defense accused the witness of lying and suggested Ukrainian political pressure influenced his testimony, while prosecution attorneys affirmed the witness's credibility given his fear and the difficult circumstances. The trial proceedings revealed Krasikov’s patterns matching previous murders consistent with Russian covert operations. The witness and his family remain under threat due to their connection to the case and ongoing war near Kharkiv.