Kiev (AFP) - "Murdered" anti-Kremlin journalist Arkady Babchenko appeared alive and well at a press conference in Kiev on Wednesday as Ukraine admitted it had faked his death to expose an alleged Russian plot to kill him. Onlookers gasped and applauded as Babchenko appeared, introduced by the head of Ukraine's security service, who said the murder had been staged in order to foil an attempt on his life by Moscow. Less than 24 hours earlier, Ukraine said the reporter had died from three gunshots to the back in the stairwell of his apartment building in a contract-style killing in a case that provoked an outpouring of grief and a diplomatic spat.



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