MOSCOW: A car bomb in Russian-controlled territory in eastern Ukraine’s Lugansk region killed a Moscow-appointed government official on Monday, local authorities said.
According to the local branch of Russia’s Investigative Committee, the deputy head of a state-run administrative agency fell victim to the explosion when an unidentified device detonated inside a car during the afternoon hours. The blast resulted in the destruction of the vehicle, leaving debris scattered across the street in Starobilsk, a town in Lugansk.
This tragic event adds to a series of targeted attacks against Moscow-appointed officials in eastern Ukraine, which have been attributed to either Kyiv or pro-Kyiv forces since Russia initiated its military offensive in February 2022. The Investigative Committee has initiated an investigation into the incident, treating it as a “terrorist act.”
Vladimir Chernev, the municipal head, identified the victim as Valery Chaika, an official serving in Lugansk. Expressing sorrow over the loss, Chernev urged residents to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity to the authorities.
The attack underscores the volatile situation prevailing in eastern Ukraine, particularly in regions like Lugansk, which Moscow claimed to annex in 2022 along with three other eastern Ukrainian territories.
