Late on Saturday evening, an explosive device attached to a large SUV exploded in a settlement in the suburbs of the Russian capital Moscow. The vehicle burned out completely. A young woman died in the attack. Only on Sunday did the investigative authorities announce the identity of the dead – Darja Dugina.
The 29-year-old journalist and political scientist loyal to the Kremlin was the daughter of right-wing nationalist ideologue Alexander Dugin, who is considered one of the most important whisperers to President Vladimir Putin. The 60-year-old, who has repeatedly publicly called for the killing of Ukrainians, is sometimes referred to as “Putin’s brain” or the idea generator for the war of aggression in Ukraine. Dugin is also considered an anti-Western hate preacher and fighter for the idea of a Slavic superpower.
Dugina drove her father’s car
The state news agency TASS, citing an acquaintance of Dugina, reported that the vehicle belonged to her father and that he was probably the target of the attack. Father and daughter went to a festival and Dugin only decided at the last moment to get into another car, the government newspaper Rossiyskaya Gazeta reported.
Russian media also reported that Alexander Dugin and his daughter visited the patriotic festival “Tradition” on Saturday. Dugin was announced as a speaker there. His daughter, who was with him, parked the car in a VIP guest parking lot. The bomb could have been planted there. Apparently there was no video surveillance. According to the media, father and daughter then wanted to leave together. But Dugin stayed, she drove away in his car.
Videos of the wrecked car on fire made the rounds on social media – and of a shaken Dugin, who rushed to the scene on Saturday and, as can be seen in photos, threw his hands over his head. “The identity of the dead has been clarified – it is Darya Dugina,” said the statement from the state investigative committee.
“Ukrainian Terrorists”
The investigators also published a video of the search for clues. Investigated because of a contract killing in all directions. Although investigations are ongoing and nothing has been proven, Russian state propaganda has rushed to blame the assassination on “Ukrainian terrorists”.
The attack sparked horror among Russian nationalists and pro-Russian forces in Ukraine. “The terrorists of the Ukrainian regime tried to liquidate Alexander Dugin and blew up his daughter … in the car,” wrote Donetsk separatist leader Denis Pushilin. Darja will be remembered – as a “real Russian girl”.
Commentators in Ukraine, on the other hand, doubted that Ukrainian forces were currently in a position to carry out such an assassination – especially in Moscow. Mykhailo Podoliak, adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said: “Of course, Ukraine has nothing to do with it because we are not a criminal state – like the Russian Federation – and certainly not a terrorist state.” Podoliak spoke of “power struggles between different political groups factions in Russia”. The incident was “a revenge of fate” on supporters of the Russian attack on Ukraine.
Pretext for attacks?
The death of Dugin’s daughter is strongly reminiscent of a provocation by the Russian secret services, Kiev political scientist Volodymyr Fessenko wrote on Facebook. “It’s their style.” Fessenko speculated that the attack could provide a pretext for massive rocket attacks on Ukrainian cities on Independence Day, August 24.
Source: Nachrichten
