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Topics: Ukraine, Russia, World News, Vladimir Putin
Daisy Phillipson
Topics: Ukraine, Russia, World News, Vladimir Putin
Russia's security service has accused Ukrainian forces of being responsible for killing the daughter of a Vladimir Putin ally.
Yesterday, August 21, it was confirmed that Darya Dugina, 29, had died after an explosive device detonated on the Toyota Land Cruiser she was travelling in.
Dugina was the daughter of Russian ultra-nationalist and philosopher Alexander Dugin, who has been vocal about his support of the country's invasion of Ukraine many times in the past.
Although Ukrainian officials denied any involvement in the incident, Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) has now claimed that special services from Ukraine were responsible.
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A statement shared by Russian outlets today, August 22, reads: "It has been established that the crime was prepared and committed by the Ukrainian special services."
The FSB went on to allege that the services hired a woman who moved to Russia in mid-July with her 12-year-old daughter and rented a property in the same complex as Dugina.
After surveying the target, the woman is reported to have attended the same festival Dugina did just before the bomb was detonated.
The statement also claims that the suspect drove a Mini Cooper car, which used various licence plates, across the Russian border following the attack before fleeing to Estonia.
These accusations contradict a previous declaration that Ukraine was not involved in the attack.
Mykhailo Podoliak, Adviser to the Head of the Presidential Office, told United News telethon, via Sky News: “Ukraine has absolutely nothing to do with this because we are not a criminal state like Russia or a terrorist one at that.”
Dugina's father has been described as a Russian fascist and even attributed to being ‘Putin’s brain’ due to his influence on the President's political planning.
It is believed he may have been the supposed target of the attack instead of, or in addition to his daughter.
Andrey Krasnov, the head of the Russian Horizon social movement, told Tass that the vehicle had actually belonged to Dugin.
Krasnov said: “He returned, he was at the site of the tragedy. As far as I understand, Alexander or probably they together were the target."
Footage emerged hours after the tragedy of Dugin at the scene holding his head in his hands.
The car had exploded near Bolshiye Vyazemy village in the Moscow region, with TV footage showing investigators collecting debris and fragments from the explosion.
Investigators are treating the incident as a murder case and are exploring all options to determine who was responsible.
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