**The death adds to a concerning trend of violence against figures linked to the ongoing Ukraine conflict.**
**Pro-Russia Separatist Leader Killed in Moscow Explosion**
**Pro-Russia Separatist Leader Killed in Moscow Explosion**
**Armen Sarkisyan, founder of a separatist battalion in Ukraine, dies following a bomb blast in Moscow.**
The recent death of a key pro-Russian separatist leader, Armen Sarkisyan, has raised eyebrows following a bomb explosion in a Moscow residential area on Monday. Sarkisyan, who was heavily involved in the conflict in eastern Ukraine, purportedly succumbed to injuries at a local hospital after the violent incident at the Scarlet Sails apartment complex, according to Russian media reports citing the Investigative Committee of Russia.
The investigative body reported that four people were injured during the blast, with Sarkisyan described as the only fatality, alongside another victim identified as his bodyguard, who died at the scene. The circumstances surrounding the explosion remain unclear, with no suspects named so far. Furthermore, there is no confirmation of Sarkisyan's residency at the incident site.
Ukrainian authorities have yet to weigh in on the explosion, which highlights escalating violence within the Russian capital, a pattern that has surfaced following previous targeted attacks, including the assassination of General Igor Kirillov in December.
Sarkisyan, previously wanted in Ukraine for alleged collaboration in violent crackdown on protests in 2014, had actively supported Russia's military efforts in Ukraine, recently forming a battalion to align with Russian troops. Ivan Prikhodko, the mayor of Horlivka, where Sarkisyan was originally from, honored his contributions to security in the captured Donetsk region while confirming the severity of the situation following his death.
Visuals from the explosion site show significant damage to the building and have sparked questions about security protocols, with Kremlin spokesperson Dmitri Peskov announcing an official inquiry into the event without providing additional information. The incident signifies a grave reminder of the ongoing strife in the region, further complications for the already tense dynamics of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
The investigative body reported that four people were injured during the blast, with Sarkisyan described as the only fatality, alongside another victim identified as his bodyguard, who died at the scene. The circumstances surrounding the explosion remain unclear, with no suspects named so far. Furthermore, there is no confirmation of Sarkisyan's residency at the incident site.
Ukrainian authorities have yet to weigh in on the explosion, which highlights escalating violence within the Russian capital, a pattern that has surfaced following previous targeted attacks, including the assassination of General Igor Kirillov in December.
Sarkisyan, previously wanted in Ukraine for alleged collaboration in violent crackdown on protests in 2014, had actively supported Russia's military efforts in Ukraine, recently forming a battalion to align with Russian troops. Ivan Prikhodko, the mayor of Horlivka, where Sarkisyan was originally from, honored his contributions to security in the captured Donetsk region while confirming the severity of the situation following his death.
Visuals from the explosion site show significant damage to the building and have sparked questions about security protocols, with Kremlin spokesperson Dmitri Peskov announcing an official inquiry into the event without providing additional information. The incident signifies a grave reminder of the ongoing strife in the region, further complications for the already tense dynamics of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
