‘PRE-PLANNED’

Russia Launches Murder Probe After Bomb Kills Putin Propagandist’s Daughter

Russian authorities say they are determined to get to the bottom of who killed Darya Dugina.

Russia’s Investigative Committee said Sunday it had opened a murder investigation into the killing of Darya Dugina, the daughter of a far-right philosopher commonly referred to as “Putins’ brain,” in a car bombing outside Moscow. The Investigative Committee confirmed that an explosive device went off in the Toyota Land Cruiser that Dugina—whose father, Alexander Dugin, is said to be the driving force behind Vladimir Putin’s aggression in Ukraine—was driving in Bolshiye Vyazyomy, a small village to the southeast of Moscow, killing her instantly. She was slain in a “pre-planned and custom-made” murder, a statement read. Investigators already believe that the explosive device was planted under the bottom of the car on the driver’s side, but further inquiries are ongoing, with the burned-out vehicle “subsequently moved to a specialized parking lot.” A video recording from the car’s DVR was also recovered. Dugina was reportedly driving her father’s car and was traveling home from an event when the explosion occurred. Russia has blamed Ukraine for the explosion, but Ukraine has denied responsibility.