A pro-Russian paramilitary leader from eastern Ukraine, Armen Sarkisyan, was killed on Monday when a bomb tore through parts of a luxury apartment block in Moscow, state news agency TASS and other Russian media reported.
TASS called the bombing a well-planned assassination.
The bomb detonated just as Sarkisyan, accompanied by his bodyguards, entered the basement of the "Scarlet Sails" complex on the banks of the Moskva River just 12 km (7 miles) from the Kremlin, according to Russian media.
One bodyguard was killed and three more injured, Kommersant newspaper said.
"The assassination attempt on Sarkisyan was carefully planned and was ordered. Investigators are currently identifying those who ordered the crime," TASS quoted a law enforcement official as saying.
Baza, a Telegram channel with contacts in Russia's security services, published video showing major damage to the building's lobby.
In December, Ukraine's SBU security service described Sarkisyan as a crime boss in the Donetsk region, much of which has been controlled by Moscow since 2014, and said that he was officially suspected of participating in and aiding "illegal armed groups".
It said he had formed a pro-Russian military unit made up of local convict fighters and had organised purchases of supplies for frontline units.
Mediazona, an independent Russian outlet that covers law enforcement, reported that Armenian-born Sarkisyan had been a longtime organised crime figure in the Donetsk region city of Horlivka.
In 2022, it said, he founded a pro-Russian paramilitary unit composed mostly of his fellow ethnic Armenians to fight against Kyiv's forces.
In December, Ukraine took credit for the killing of Russian General Igor Kirillov in a bomb blast outside a Moscow apartment building. There was no immediate comment from Ukraine on Monday's blast.
Russia and Ukraine faced intense overnight drone bombardments, with both Moscow and Kyiv reporting waves of unmanned aerial vehicles targeting major cities and critical regions.
Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Moscow on Wednesday for a closely watched visit that underscores Beijing’s growing strategic alignment with Russia.
Ukrainian drones targeted Moscow for the third day in a row on Wednesday, disrupting air traffic at the capital’s airports just hours before Chinese President Xi Jinping's scheduled arrival for a high-profile visit.
Moscow airports are experiencing major flight disruptions due to ongoing Ukrainian drone threats ahead of Russia's 9 May Victory Day celebrations.
Russian presidential aide Yury Ushakov announced that 29 foreign leaders are expected to attend the Victory Parade in Moscow on May 9.
Iran says it is ready to end its retaliatory strikes on Israel, but blames both Tel Aviv and Washington for blocking de-escalation, accusing them of deliberately sabotaging nuclear talks and prolonging the conflict for strategic gain.
Azerbaijan is facilitating the evacuation of foreign nationals from Iran, a process that has included private citizens and diplomatic staff. The assistance has involved providing transit for Kyrgyz citizens and, subsequently, the staff and families of the Kyrgyz Embassy in Tehran.
China has successfully mastered the technology to produce Yttrium-90, a critical medical isotope used in radiation therapy for liver cancer, within a commercial nuclear reactor.
In a phone call that took place on Donald Trump's 79th birthday, he and Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed ending the "war" in the Middle East and planned prisoner swaps in Ukraine. According to reports, Putin also extended birthday wishes to his U.S. counterpart during the call.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for June 15th, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Pakistan will begin its first freight train service to Russia from Lahore on June 22. The route is part of the INSTC and aims to connect Pakistan's rail network with Central Asia, establishing a new trade corridor via Iran, Turkmenistan, and Kazakhstan.
Israeli strikes have reportedly targeted areas near the residences of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and President Masoud Pezeshkian, according to the New York Times, citing local witnesses.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has condemned U.S. immigration raids and National Guard deployment in Los Angeles, calling for reforms instead of enforcement.
Israel’s military says it has identified the body of top Hamas commander Mohammed Sinwar beneath a hospital in southern Gaza.
An Air India flight with 242 passengers on board crashed in Meghaninagar, close to Ahmedabad airport in Gujarat, on Thursday afternoon.
Azerbaijan is facilitating the evacuation of foreign nationals from Iran, a process that has included private citizens and diplomatic staff. The assistance has involved providing transit for Kyrgyz citizens and, subsequently, the staff and families of the Kyrgyz Embassy in Tehran.
Azerbaijan will not permit any country to use its territory to strike a third party, including Iran, Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov tells his Iranian counterpart Seyyed Abbas Araghchi in a phone call on Saturday.
President Donald Trump held a large military parade in Washington on Saturday to mark the U.S. Army’s 250th anniversary and his 79th birthday.
The latest round of U.S.-Iran nuclear talks, scheduled for Sunday in Muscat, have been canceled. This development follows Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian's explicit statement that Tehran refuses to negotiate as long as Israeli attacks persist.
Peace is no longer a dream. It is a discussion. On the streets of Baku and Yerevan, it is also a question, of trust, of foreign interests, and of who truly wants it.
Iran says it is ready to end its retaliatory strikes on Israel, but blames both Tel Aviv and Washington for blocking de-escalation, accusing them of deliberately sabotaging nuclear talks and prolonging the conflict for strategic gain.
Azerbaijan is facilitating the evacuation of foreign nationals from Iran, a process that has included private citizens and diplomatic staff. The assistance has involved providing transit for Kyrgyz citizens and, subsequently, the staff and families of the Kyrgyz Embassy in Tehran.
China has successfully mastered the technology to produce Yttrium-90, a critical medical isotope used in radiation therapy for liver cancer, within a commercial nuclear reactor.
In a phone call that took place on Donald Trump's 79th birthday, he and Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed ending the "war" in the Middle East and planned prisoner swaps in Ukraine. According to reports, Putin also extended birthday wishes to his U.S. counterpart during the call.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for June 15th, covering the latest developments you need to know.
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