Summarize this content to 2000 words in 6 paragraphs
A bomb explosion that killed a pro-Kremlin paramilitary leader from eastern Ukraine may have been a suicide attack, Russian media reported Tuesday, citing law enforcement sources.
Armen Sarkisyan, founder of the Arbat Battalion, which fights for Russia in Ukraine, died from his injuries after being hospitalized Monday. Another person was also killed, and four others were wounded in the blast.
“The leading theory is that the explosion in the Scarlet Sails residential complex was committed by a suicide bomber,” the Interfax news agency quoted an unnamed law enforcement official as saying. “Early indications are that he detonated an explosive device that he brought with him.”
Surveillance footage allegedly showed a Soviet-era anti-personnel mine exploding near a man who greeted Sarkisyan in the building lobby, the Kommersant business daily, also citing police sources, reported.
news
Moscow Bomb Attack Kills Pro-Kremlin Paramilitary Leader Wanted in Ukraine
Read more
Initial unverified reports suggested the bomb may have been planted in the hallway before the attack. Fingerprint data suggests the suspected bomber may have been an Armenian national with a prior criminal conviction, according to Kommersant.
Authorities are investigating a power struggle or blood feud as a possible motive, Interfax reported. If evidence of Ukrainian involvement emerges, the case may be reclassified as a terrorism investigation.
Kyiv issued an arrest warrant for Sarkisyan in 2014 over violence against pro-EU protesters. Ukraine’s SBU security services described him as a “criminal authority” with connections to former president Viktor Yanukovych, who fled to Russia in 2014.
His Arbat Battalion, which fights as an irregular on the side of Russia in its war against Ukraine, is made up of around 500 people, most of whom are ethnic Armenians.
In December, Ukraine listed Sarkisyan as a suspect in an ongoing investigation into Russia’s recruitment of prisoner fighters for the war.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia’s Prosecutor General’s Office has designated The Moscow Times as an “undesirable” organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a “foreign agent.”
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work “discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership.” We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It’s quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you’re defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Continue
Not ready to support today? Remind me later.
×
Remind me next month
Thank you! Your reminder is set.
We will send you one reminder email a month from now. For details on the personal data we collect and how it is used, please see our Privacy Policy.
