Armenian paramilitary leader dies in targeted bombing linked to Ukraine conflict.
A prominent pro-Russian paramilitary leader from eastern Ukraine, Armen Sarkisyan, has been killed in a bomb blast at a luxury apartment building in Moscow. The explosion, which critically injured Sarkisyan, took place in the lobby of the Scarlet Sails complex, a high-end residential building in the Russian capital. Sarkisyan later succumbed to his injuries in hospital, as reported by Russian media outlets including Kommersant.
The bombing, which occurred as Sarkisyan and his bodyguards entered the building, killed one of his guards and left three others wounded. Footage from Russia’s Investigative Committee showed the chaotic aftermath, with shattered glass and debris scattered across the lobby.
Sarkisyan, who had long been associated with aiding Russian forces in the ongoing war in Donetsk, Ukraine, had been described by Ukraine’s SBU intelligence service as a “crime boss.” The SBU alleged that he played a significant role in supporting pro-Russian military units, recruiting convicted fighters from local prisons.
Russian state news agency TASS described the attack as a “well-planned assassination.” A Russian police official stated that the attack appeared to have been carefully orchestrated and confirmed that an investigation was underway to identify the individuals responsible for ordering the bombing.
Authorities in Russia have since launched a criminal case into the incident, which further escalates tensions surrounding the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
