Injured Russian journalist removed from respirator

Doctors said Monday that Russian journalist Oleg Kashin, who was recently attacked, has been removed from a respirator.

"He was removed from a respirator, and his condition is getting better," said a hospital source.

Kashin had been in a grave condition since Nov. 6 when he was severely beaten by two unknown assailants near his apartment in Moscow.

Revenge for his professional activity was believed to stand behind the attack. He worked for the influential Russian Kommersant daily.

The editor-in-chief of the newspaper said the Molodaya Gvardiya youth group linked to the United Russia party vowed "to punish" Kashin for his reports on social issues and construction of a highway through Khimki forest.

Days before, another journalist covering the same issue, Konstantin Fetisov, was also attacked in Russia.

Two years ago, Mikhail Beketov, a local newspaper editor, was nearly killed outside his home in Khimki for speaking out against the road.

The Union of Russian Journalists said over 300 journalists have been killed in the country since 1991 and those guilty for most cases have not been found.

In 2009 some 57 journalists fell victims of violence.

Source: Xinhua