People crowd around the coffin of Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya before her burial in Moscow yesterday. Mourners, including foreign diplomats and journalists, gathered at the funeral of Politkovskaya, a prominent reporter and critic of President Vladimir Putin, whose murder fuelled international condemnation. - REUTERS

MOSCOW (Reuters)

Thousands of mourners, including Western ambassadors, gathered yesterday at the funeral of Anna Politkovskaya, a prominent reporter and critic of President Vladimir Putin whose murder fuelled international condemnation.

Politkovskaya, 48, was shot dead on Saturday at her apartment block in central Moscow in a killing prosecutors linked to her work.

She won prominence in Russia for her vigorous defence of human rights and criticism of the government's policies, in particular its conduct of a brutal war against separatists in Chechnya.

Putin told German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Dresden that the murder was an unacceptable crime which would be punished.

Merkel told reporters Putin had told her he aimed to do everything possible to clear up the murder.

Politkovskaya's death drew condemnation from world leaders, including U.S. President George W. Bush, and international organisations who demanded a thorough investigation.

French President Jacques Chirac on Tuesday sent a letter to Politkovskaya's two children.