Russia's proxy official and former military commander, Mikhail Filiponenko, was killed by a car bomb in occupied Luhansk, Russian state-run media TASS reported on Nov. 8, citing Telegram channels of other proxy officials in the area.
TASS noted that it was not the first time a car bomb had been used in an attempt on his life — Filiponenko's car was previously blown up in February 2023.
Russian officials, their proxies, and collaborators have been routinely targeted in both occupied parts of Ukraine and in Russia. Kyiv does not typically comment on the attacks.
Oleg Tsaryov, a pro-Russian Ukrainian politician who fled Ukraine in 2014, was shot in occupied Crimea on Oct. 27. He survived the attack but was hospitalized with serious injuries.
Earlier in October, Vladimir Malov, a member of Russia's ruling United Russia party, was killed in a car bomb explosion in the occupied city of Nova Kakhovka in Kherson Oblast.
The Washington Post released an article on Oct. 23 alleging that Ukrainian intelligence services were behind a number of high-profile assassinations of targets inside Russia.
Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) refused to comment on the article, saying that it would only be possible to discuss details regarding its special operations after Ukraine's victory over Russia.
The Kyiv Independent news desk
