Russian federal judge Eduard Chuvashov was shot dead in downtown Moscow on Monday, a law-enforcement source told RIA Novosti.

"An unidentified person shot Chuvashov in the entrance to an apartment block and then fled," the source said, adding that investigators were working at the scene.

Chuvashov heard the trial of the "White Wolves" skinhead group in Moscow City Court, sentencing nine gang members to up to 23 years in prison in February.

He also worked on the case of the Federal Drug Control Service officer Alexander Bulbov, who was accused of embezzling $3.2 million and released on bail in November 2009 after 25 months in pre-trial detention.

MOSCOW, April 12 (RIA Novosti)