'Russian who spied on Israel shot dead in Moscow'
Interfax news agency reports Shabtai Kalmanovitch was shot in drive-by shooting in Russian capital.
By Haaretz Service and Yossi Melman Tags: Israel newsShabtai Kalmanovitch, an Israeli immigrant from the former Soviet Union who served time in prison for spying for the KGB, was shot and killed while driving in downtown Moscow, news agencies reported on Monday.
According to the Interfax news agency, Kalmanovitch was shot while driving in his Mercedes in the Russian capital.
The report said Kalmanovitch was shot by assailants armed with semi-automatic weapons who drove by in a passing vehicle.
Kalmanovitch's driver, Fyotor Tomnov, and another associate who was with them were also wounded in the attack, according to reports. The driver is currently hospitalized in serious condition.
The shooting is believed to be connected to a business dispute, according to reports.
Kalmanovitch is a businessman and a former agent for the Russian secret services who has been implicated in criminal activities in the past.
As a youth, he immigrated to Israel in 1972. One of his assignments as an agent was to ascertain information about Nativ, a Zionist immigration and liaison agency which was active in the former Soviet Union.
Moscow had always viewed Nativ as a front for espionage activity that fomented unrest and dissent against the Soviet regime.
Kalmanovitch tried unsuccessfully to land a position with the prime minister's bureau during Golda Meir's tenure in office. Afterwards, though, he was hired to work for former MK Samuel Flatto-Sharon.
Kalmanovitch also gained access to former finance minister Yigal Hurvitz during the latter's tenure as a member of Knesset.
Flatto-Sharon and Kalmanovitch were linked with Wolfgang Vogel, an East German lawyer and a well-known associate of officials in the Stasi. Vogel was considered an expert in negotiations which brokered swaps for prisoners of wars.
Vogel was involved in the negotiated release of an Israeli, Miron Marcus, who was taken prisoner by rebels in Mozambique after his plane was forced to land in the African country.
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they should have welded him to a barge and drawn one in liman with bricks around his neck... couldn't wait for summer.
Peter I would like to know what is their grievence. Is it strictly religious in nature - or is it based on America's policies?
First, send us a citation substantiating your claim that there are hundreds of thousands of people on the list. Then explain what thats list has to do with anything Lincoln said.
it's obamas fault. he's the one that told the mossad to "remove" this guy. by the way, Todays U.S. elections will show obama and his cohorts the American people are opposed to his socializing our nation. LET FREEDOM RING. the smaller the government and the less govt. interferes into our everyday lives is the answer. Thanks.
The UK knows who killed Litvinenko he is Mr Lugovoi currently a member of the Russian parliament that gives him immunity from extradition. Mr Lugovoi is the alleged murderer of Mr Litvinenko, the Russians will never extradite him. So the British should take a leaf out of the Israeli book and "eliminate" the "gentleman" concerned.
from the real spies: Linthwaite, Yaakov, BBSNews, Maureen, Swiss(dino). How do i know? I get secret reports from a Trojan horse Software package installed in clickffols computer which is linked to Abbas' throne, Hanyes bathtub and Ahmadinejads underwear.
How civilized. I'm in favor of more drive-by shotings and random executions--its so flattering to the rest of us who believe in the rule of law.
how do you feel about the literally hundreds of thousands on the terror watch list in the USA?
but it will hand the Russians a handy scapegoat and enable them to honour contracts that were signed. Not delivering the S300 to Iran and the S400 to Saudi Arabia for that matter may damage the Russian arms industry irrepareably as countries procure their military needs from other sources. But us two agreeing well that just won't do.
Well, sure sounds like the man hat enemies in abundance - and in certain russian societies there are rough customs I guess. Mossad might have had no reason to move gainst him - even though diamonds in Sierra Leone usually weren't paid in Rubel. No one blaimed him to have tried to ship weapons to Iran it seems.
D where you coming from? did'nt you notice that no country has the gut to stand up to Israel? You must be in a dreamland.
I agree with you 100% and I hope you agree that all the spy that they spy on their best friend.. should be remove as well more likely will not be missed either..
what about Mossad when to russia to give their ferewell to him? I should mine to bet on this I know i be winning:)
Everyone who is celebrating the death of others has serious mental issues. Yeah, he was a bad guy, but maybe he would have changed?
Who takes care about this'spy-Businessman"...you missed perhaps the explanation on how the poverty line" is defined in Israel: it is half of the mediane for disposable income. According to this definition, about 25% of population is supposed to be below the poverty line almost in any country (50% of relatively more rich population is excluded always).
it wasn't sooner. Good riddance.
Sounds like a really immoral person and most likely will not be missed.
I think we just agreed on a subject!
Some careless and -- dare I say it? -- paranoid responses to this article. First, Yaakov, he was killed in Moscow and already served his time(so much for Israeli 'cost-saving'). Second, with so many Russians killing other Russians ('businessmen', they call them) why would anyone blame Mossad/Israel? This is like, routine -- if you take the time to read international news. Seems to me it's coincidental that he worked as a spy (and don't Israelis think that many former KGB have landed 'special' treatment in business...and in 'business'...as we think in the US?). All of you must admit that if he emigrated to Israel in '72 he is not a current item...actually, he's probably lucky he lived as long as he has, given his work/contacts! Finally, even if Mossad did facilitate his departure, don't you think it's for recent activities?
I'm sure you feel the same way about Johnathan Pollard.
Hummmm.................I wonder now who that might have been? With one in four Israelis living below the poverty line perhaps this was a cost saving measure since keeping him in prison in Israel might have been too expensive for the State.
and Russia will prevent any action against Iran in revenge. Probably even fulfill their defence contract to provide Iran with the S 300 weapons system. Doesn't matter if Israel was responsible or not, that is what will happen. Very handy timing.
If conspiracy theories gets growing about this incident, suggesting mossad was behind this shooting. Israel could be in for trouble with diplomatic relations with russia
I'll be sure to daven for him- not. He got what he deserved.