A powerful explosion rocked the Scarlet Sails residential complex in northwest Moscow, killing one person and injuring four others, according to emergency services cited by TASS and The Moscow Times.
Authorities believe the blast was a targeted assassination, as the explosive device detonated in the elevator lobby of the elite residential building.
The identity of the deceased remains officially unconfirmed, but sources from VChK-OGPU suggest the victim is likely Armen Sargsyan, the president of the Boxing Federation of the self-proclaimed "Donetsk People’s Republic" (DPR) and founder of the ArBat battalion.
A building concierge told investigators that he recognized the victim from television and that the explosion occurred as the man entered the lobby accompanied by security guards. Law enforcement sources told RBC that the attack was a contract killing.
Among the injured is 49-year-old Oleg Kaspirovich, a lieutenant colonel in Russia’s Interior Ministry from Crimea, who is listed on Ukraine’s Mirotvorets database. He has been hospitalized at the Sklifosovsky Research Institute.
Also wounded is 44-year-old Daria Karseladze, who sustained neck and leg injuries. Though conscious, she is unable to speak, medical reports indicate.
Who Was Armen Sargsyan?
According to Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate (GUR), Sargsyan was a notorious crime boss from Donetsk, known by the nickname "Gorlovsky". He was linked to the family of fugitive former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych and was reportedly involved in organizing "titushki" (pro-government thugs) against the 2014 Maidan protests.
Since 2014, Sargsyan has been on an international wanted list at Ukraine’s request.
What Is the ArBat Battalion?
The ArBat battalion was formed in September 2022 as a special forces unit, described by RT as a mobile assault group. It was commanded by former Wagner fighter Aik Gasparyan (call sign "Abrek") and was officially integrated into the Russian Defense Ministry on July 1, 2023. ArBat fighters are currently engaged in combat in the Kursk region.
Russia’s Investigative Committee has launched a criminal case into the attack.
Authorities are still working to determine who planted the explosive and whether the assassination was linked to internal Russian power struggles or external actors.
