The former Kremlin-installed mayor of Luhansk in eastern Ukraine was killed in an explosion in the citys center, local media reported Thursday.Unfortunately, its true, the state-run Luhansk Information Center quoted an unidentified relative of ex-MayorManolis Pilavov as saying.Authorities in the self-proclaimed Luhansk Peoples Republic confirmed one death and three injuries in the blast but did not name any of the victims.Investigators said they launched a criminal investigation into the explosion.Video published by law enforcement authorities showed a blown-out entrance door to a residential building.Mash, a Telegram news channel with ties to Russian security services, reported that a bomb went off when someone opened the door.
The outlet later claimed that a woman may have unknowingly been carrying an explosive device in her purse.It was not immediately possible to verify that report.Pilavov served as the Moscow-backed mayor of Luhansk from 2014, when pro-Russian forces seized the city, until 2023.A Message from The Moscow Times:Dear readers,We are facing unprecedented challenges.
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