Warnings Of New 'Nastier' Phase Of Ukraine War As Russia Says Car Bombing Was 'Contract Killing'

Zelensky Warns Of 'Nastier' Phase Of War As Russia Says Dugin Car Bombing Was A 'Contract Killing'

TYLER DURDEN

Ukraine is bracing for a likely escalation in Russian attacks following last night's killing of the daughter of Alexander Dugin - Darya Dugina - by what looked to be a car bomb as she as driving his car home from an event. Based on the details that emerged, many believe it was an assassination attempt on the prominent but deeply controversial Russian political commentator and philosopher himself.

Contrary to current exaggerated Western mainstream headlines referring to him as "Putin's brain" - there's no clear evidence that Dugin and Putin have ever even met (much less a photograph of the two together or in the same room, which we've yet to find), though the influence of Dugin's thought on certain Russian political circles is clear. He's long been central to developing the so-called 'Russian world' ideology, but his influence on actual Kremlin policy circles has been marginal at best especially since 2014, given he's been much more hawkish and maximalist when it comes to the Ukraine crisis, at times uncomfortably so for Russia's political leadership. 

On Sunday, Russia's Investigative Committee said in an official statement that it has opened a murder investigation following a car bomb being detonated under Alexander Dugin's vehicle, which only his daughter Darya was driving at the time (eyewitnesses say he switched cars at the last minute when returning from an event). 

According to Russia’s Investigative Committee, the Toyota Land Cruiser she was driving was ripped apart by a car bomb in the Moscow region, near the village of Bolshie Vyazemy, in a targeted killing by unknown entities:

"The investigation believes that the crime was planned in advance and is of a contract nature," the statement said, adding that investigators had "established that the explosive device was placed under the bottom of the car on the driver’s side."

Pro-Russian Donbass militia leaders, Denis Pushilin foremost among them, have called on fighters to quickly “avenge” Dugina’s death. At the same time, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is now warning his citizens that severe escalation looms.

Warning of potential stepped-upf Russian attacks and the need for vigilance, Zelensky said in the hours following reports of the targeted hit:

"We should be conscious of the fact that this week Russia may try to do something particularly nasty," the Ukrainian leader said in his daily video address late on Saturday. “But Russia has done the same constantly each week throughout the past six months.”

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