Daria Dugin, daughter of Russian political commentator Alexander Dugin – dubbed “Putin’s mastermind” – died when the Toyota Land Cruiser she was driving was ripped apart by a powerful explosion about 20km west of the capital at around 21:30 local time. The explosion occurred near the village of Bolshiye Vyazemy, according to Russian media outlets Baza and 112, and state-run Novaya Gazeta. Witnesses said debris was thrown across the road as the car burst into flames before crashing into a fence, according to reports. Emergency services said one person in the car died at the scene. Andrey Krasnov, Dugina’s friend and head of the Russian social movement Horizon, confirmed the reports, according to the Tass news agency. She said the bomb could have been intended for her father. “This was father’s vehicle. Daria was driving another car, but she took his car today, while Alexander went a different way. He returned, he was at the scene of the tragedy. “As far as I understand, Alexander or possibly they together were the target,” Krasnov said. 112 media also claimed that Dugin and his daughter were at an event outside Moscow and were going to travel together until he decided to go separately at the last minute. Footage circulating on social media appeared to show him at the scene in distress. The head of the self-proclaimed pro-Kremlin Donetsk People’s Republic, Denis Pushilin, wrote on his Telegram channel that Daria Dugin had been killed and blamed the Ukrainian government. “Heavy villains! The terrorists of the Ukrainian regime trying to kill Alexander Dugin blew up his daughter… In a car. Blessed memory of Daria, she is a real Russian!”. Dugin is known for developing a far-right view of Russia’s place in the world. He has been labeled a “Russian fascist” who helped shape Vladimir Putin’s expansionist foreign policy.
