Russian media said that an east Ukrainian criminal leader and separatist of Russian descent, wanted by Kyiv was killed with another person, in a blast at a Moscow apartment complex.
Armen Sarkisian was the latest explosion on Russian soil. He was a mafia boss from eastern Ukraine, who led a battalion to attack Kyiv.
Since Russia’s offensive against Ukraine began in 2022, it has been plagued by mysterious explosions and deaths.
Sarkisian had been wanted by Kyiv since 2014. The SBU Security Services of Ukraine declared him a suspect in December for “recruiting prisoners to fight in Ukraine.”
“Sarkisian died in hospital after an assassination in Moscow,” the TASS news agency reported after Russian media initially said he was seriously wounded in the blast.
The Russian Police confirmed earlier that another person had also been killed in an “incident” at the complex in northwest Moscow.
The Kremlin refused to comment until the “information was clarified”, and stated that special services had been at the scene.

Kyiv has not yet commented.
The group claimed responsibility for the murder in Moscow of General Igor Kirillov. It’s the most outrageous act yet.
According to the Russian newspaper Kommersant, “an explosive device exploded as Sarkisian and security guards entered the building”; one guard died.
TASS released footage showing a badly damaged reception area with debris on the floor.
The red-brick high-rise building was closed off by police and a helicopter was seen arriving at the scene.
Andrei a 37-year-old manager who was nearby at the time, said that his coworkers “jumped out of their seats” as soon as they heard the blast, before heading outside to see the smoke.
This was the second fatality on the streets of Moscow in less than two weeks. Kirillov was killed when an explosive device mounted on a scooter exploded in front of a home.
Olga Voronova became concerned. She is a three-time mother who lives in an adjacent building. She said, “I am very afraid. “

The woman was shaken. “I have no idea how it happened. Our security guards are very strict. Every car passing through the checkpoints is asked for a guest pass, and we order passes for all our guests including family members.”
Russian media reported Sarkisian forming an ArBAT Unit in 2022 to combat Ukraine.
According to SBU, Sarkisian was ‘close’ to Viktor Yanukovych and has been on the wanted list since 2014. Sarkisian is accused of “organizing killings” during Kyiv’s pro-EU Revolution.
Sarkisian is said to have recruited prisoners from prisons in the Donetsk area occupied by SBU.
In December, the statement said, “Efforts were being made to bring [him] to justice for his crimes committed against Ukraine. “
According to the Kommersant, Sarkisian’s unit consisted of “around 500” individuals, most of whom were ethnic Armenians.
Sarkisian was, according to Russian news reports, born in Armenia but moved to Gorlivka – an industrial city in eastern Ukraine – at a young age. Sarkisian also used the pseudonym Armen Golovsky to refer to this city.
Gorlivka has been under pro-Russian separatists’ control since 2014.