After the Moscow explosion, a pro-Russian paramilitary leader dies.
According to Russian media, a pro-Russian paramilitary commander from eastern Ukraine passed away in a hospital after being critically injured in an explosion in Moscow on Monday morning.
The commander of the “Arbat” unit, Armen Sargsyan, suffered serious injuries in a bomb that occurred in the foyer of a residence in northwest Moscow, some 12 kilometers (7 miles) from the Kremlin.
After the explosion, Sargsyan received critical medical attention in a hospital before succumbing to his wounds, according to several Telegram sources.
The explosion also caused significant injuries to a number of other people, including one of Sargsyan’s bodyguards, and other reports claim that another person was killed.
In December, Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) identified Sargsyan as a key figure in recruiting prisoners for military service in Ukraine. Additionally, in May 2014, the agency linked him to violent crimes, including killings in downtown Kyiv, and put him on an international wanted list.
Sargsyan has strong relations with Viktor Yanukovych, the previous president of Ukraine who left the country, the SBU said.
According to a law enforcement source cited by the Russian news agency TASS, the explosion was a planned assassination, and investigators were looking into who ordered the act.
Pictures circulated online show a severely damaged entry hall with smashed doors, shattered glass, and debris strewn over the floor.
The mother of three, Olga Voronova, a local, told the AFP news agency that the area’s security measures were usually stringent and that she was afraid of the occurrence.
“Every car is inspected at the gates by our dedicated security personnel.” Special passes are required for visitors, including family members,” she claimed, raising concerns about the possibility of such an assault.
Horlivka, a town in the Donetsk region of Ukraine under Russian occupation since 2014, was Sargsyan’s hometown.
Ivan Prikhodko, the mayor of Horlivka, commended Sargsyan for creating and commanding a specialist paramilitary brigade in a Telegram message announcing his passing. He said that Sargsyan was the leader of the self-declared Donetsk People’s Republic’s Boxing Federation.
According to reports, the “Arbat” battalion has been active in the Kursk region of Russia, where Ukrainian soldiers are still present after their surprise invasion in August.
Prominent individuals who support Russia’s conflict in Ukraine have been the target of several assaults in Moscow and Russian-occupied areas.
Car bombings in Russian-controlled regions of Ukraine in late 2024 killed Sergei Yevsyukov, a jail administrator, and Valery Trankovsky, a top Russian navy commander.
In addition, a Ukrainian intelligence source subsequently claimed responsibility for the December assassination of a senior Russian general and his aide in Moscow.
Pro-Russian Paramilitary Leader Dies in Moscow Explosion
