Russian lawmaker charged with killing elk, alleges politics

MOSCOW (AP) — A defense lawyer says a Communist Party lawmaker in Russia has been charged with illegal hunting for killing an elk. Kremlin critic Valery Rashkin was arrested in October after police said they found an elk carcass in the trunk of his vehicle when he didn’t have a hunting license. Rashkin at first denied shooting the elk. He eventually admitted killing an animal but said he was unaware of breaking the law. His lawyer said Monday that Russia’s top investigative body asked a court to give Rashkin an overnight curfew. Some Russian media alleged that Rashkin faced prosecution due to his frequent criticism of the Kremlin and his support for jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny.