ASSESSMENTS

Identifying a Mundane but Deadly Threat

Aug 15, 2016 | 09:30 GMT

Identifying a Mundane but Deadly Threat
Ukrainian police officers and security services experts examine the car of journalist Pavel Sheremet. The execution of the attack on Sheremet suggests the perpetrators were experienced and well-trained.

(SERGEI SUPINSKY/AFP/Getty Images)

In a world of new and evolving threats lurks a hidden danger, whose peril lies in its very consistency: routine. Pavel Sheremet, a Belarusian journalist and commentator, recently fell victim to his own daily patterns. Just before 7:40 a.m. on July 20, he got in his partner's car to drive the few kilometers from his neighborhood in central Kiev to Radio Vesti, where he hosted a morning radio show. Parking in Kiev -- as in any big city -- can be tricky, and Sheremet had to park at the top of Ivan Franko Street, a few hundred meters from his apartment. From there, he made a U-turn and headed to the busy intersection with Bohdan Khmelnytsky Street, which would take him to a major thoroughfare. As Sheremet turned left onto Bohdan Khmelnytsky Street, an explosion struck his vehicle. Though emergency response teams arrived at the scene within minutes, Sheremet succumbed...

Subscribe to view this article

Subscribe Now

Subscribe

Already have an account?