A bomb explosion in a luxury residential complex in Moscow has killed Armen Sarkisyan, a pro-Russian paramilitary leader from eastern Ukraine, in what authorities are treating as a targeted assassination.

The attack, which also claimed the life of his bodyguard and injured three others, underscores the growing security risks for Moscow’s political and military elite, who are increasingly being targeted by Ukraine as part of its strategy to end Russia’s invasion. If confirmed as a Ukrainian intelligence operation, it would mark yet another successful deep-strike mission against Russia’s leadership.

The blast occurred in the lobby of the Scarlet Sails complex in north-west Moscow as Sarkisyan entered with his security detail. Russian security services reported that the explosion critically injured him, and he later succumbed to his wounds in hospital. His bodyguard was killed instantly, while others in the vicinity, including another security officer, sustained serious injuries.

According to Russian state-run media outlet RIA Novosti, citing an emergency services source, the authorities believe the explosive device was about 300 grams of TNT equivalent.

Sarkisyan was the founder of the Arbat battalion, a paramilitary unit formed in 2022 that operated alongside Russian forces in Ukraine’s eastern regions and Russia’s Kursk province. He was also the head of the boxing federation in Russian-occupied Donetsk and had been a prominent pro-Russian figure in the region. Ukrainian authorities had long sought his arrest, accusing him of organising violent crackdowns on pro-European protesters during the 2014 Maidan uprising in Kyiv. He was reportedly linked to Viktor Yanukovych, Ukraine’s former pro-Russian president, who fled to Russia that same year.

The explosion, which Russian investigators believe was a targeted assassination, comes amid a string of attacks against Russian military and political figures. While no group has claimed responsibility, Russian officials have pointed to Ukrainian security services. The bombing follows several high-profile assassinations of Russian military officers and officials linked to the war in Ukraine. Ukrainian intelligence has been credited with previous strikes on Russian targets, including the December 2024 assassination of Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov, a top Russian military scientist, who was killed by a bomb hidden in an electric scooter.

Footage from the scene published on social media showed a destroyed lobby with shattered glass and a collapsed entrance. The Federal Security Service (FSB) has launched an investigation, vowing to identify those responsible. The incident highlights ongoing security vulnerabilities within Moscow and raises questions about the Kremlin’s ability to protect key figures in its military and paramilitary operations.