In the past, Armen Sarkisyan was the head of the boxing federation in the so-called DNR, but after the full-scale invasion, he became the ”overseer“ of the

MOSCOW (Reuters) - A pro-Russian paramilitary leader from eastern Ukraine, Armen Sarkisyan, was killed on Monday when a bomb tore through parts of a luxury apartment block in Moscow, state news agency TASS and other Russian media reported.

TASS called the bombing a well-planned assassination.

"The assassination attempt on Sarkisyan was carefully planned and was ordered. Investigators are currently identifying those who ordered the crime," TASS quoted a law enforcement official as saying.

In December, Ukraine's SBU security service described Sarkisyan as a crime boss in the Donetsk region, much of which has been controlled by Moscow since 2014, and said that he was officially suspected of participating in and aiding "illegal armed groups".

East Ukrainian crime boss killed in Moscow blast: Russian media

Moscow (AFP) – An east Ukrainian crime boss and separatist wanted by Kyiv was killed with one other person in a blast at a luxury residential complex in Moscow on Monday, Russian media reported.

Issued on: 03/02/2025 - 13:05Modified: 03/02/2025 - 13:04

Armen Sarkisian, a known mafia boss from east Ukraine who had formed a battalion to fight against Kyiv, is the latest target in a string of explosions on Russian soil.

Russia has been hit by a series of killings and mysterious blasts since launching its offensive in Ukraine in 2022.

Sarkisian has been wanted by Kyiv since 2014 and Ukraine's SBU security service had in December declared him a suspect in "recruiting prisoners to fight in Ukraine".

Ukraine has claimed several killings on Russian soil in recent months © TATYANA MAKEYEVA / ***AFP***

"Sarkisian died in hospital after an assassination in Moscow," the TASS news agency reported, after Russian media intially said he was seriously wounded in the blast. . .

The Kremlin said special services were working at the scene and declined to comment while "information was being clarified".

Kyiv had not yet commented.

In December, it said it was behind the killing of Russian army general Igor Kirillov in Moscow, its most audacious attack to date.

Wanted by Kyiv since 2014

Russian media said Sarkisian had in 2022 formed a unit named "ArBAT" to fight against Ukraine.

According to the SBU, Sarkisian was "close" to Ukraine's ousted ex-leader Viktor Yanukovych and has been on a wanted list since 2014, accused of "organizing murders" during Kyiv's pro-EU revolution.

The SBU said Sarkisian oversaw prisons in the occupied Donetsk region, from which he recruited convicts.

"Efforts are underway to bring the offender to justice for his crimes against Ukraine," it said in December.

Kommersant reported that the unit Sarkisian had formed was made up of "around 500 people", most of whom are ethnic Armenians.

According to Russian media, Sarkisian was born in Armenia but moved to east Ukraine's city of Gorlivka at a young age and also used the pseudonym of Armen Gorlovsky, a reference to the industrial city.

Gorlivka has been under pro-Russian separatist control since 2014.