Russia to show ‘no mercy’ for killers of Dugin’s daughter: Lavrov

Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has said there can be "no mercy" for organizers, instigators and perpetrators behind a car bombing that killed the daughter of Russian political philosopher Alexander Dugin, who is known for his staunch anti-West views.

"The murder of political analyst and journalist Darya Dugin was a barbarous crime, there can be no mercy for its masterminds and perpetrators," Lavrov told a news conference in Moscow on Tuesday.

"I cannot judge whether it was an act of intimidation or settling of accounts," the minister said in response to a question. "I believe that this is a barbaric crime that can never be forgiven," Lavrov stressed.

The top Russian diplomat expressed hope that the investigation will be completed soon.

"Now, as I understand, Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) has already established the facts, which are now being investigated. The investigation, I hope, will be completed quickly, and based on the results of this probe, certainly there can be no mercy for the masterminds, those who ordered it and the perpetrators," Lavrov added.

The FSB on Monday identified the attacker as a Ukrainian woman in her forties named Natalia Vovk. It said the woman conducted a controlled explosion of a car Darya was driving in on Saturday.

The report said the assailant, who arrived in Russia in July along with her teenage daughter, was preparing for the attack for a month. They reportedly fled to the EU member state of Estonia after the attack.

The FSB also published footage showing Vovk and her daughter entering Russia, inside the building where Dugin lived and in which she also rented an apartment, and hastily leaving the country.

Russia opens murder probe after daughter of political commentator killed in car blast

Russian authorities have launched a probe after the daughter of a political commentator was killed in a car bomb near Moscow on Saturday.

In his first public statement after his daughter Darya's death, Dugin said the 29-year-old TV commentator and journalist was “brutally killed by an explosion in front of my eyes.”

He described the blast as a “terrorist attack”, and blamed it on the Ukrainian government.

Russia's President Vladimir Putin strongly condemned the “vile, cruel” crime, and expressed his “sincere condolences” in a message to Dugin's family released by the Kremlin.

A source within the Russian security service told TASS on Monday that Darya herself was the intended target, and that the bomb was detonated remotely once the attacker knew she was behind the wheel. 

Dugin urges Russia to avenge his daughter’s murder, blaming Ukraine for it

Russian political philosopher Alexander Dugin, who is known for his staunch anti-West views, has blamed Ukraine for the car bomb attack that killed his daughter, urging Russia to avenge the murder.

Dugin and his daughter were at an event outside Moscow that was also attended by the attacker. Kiev has denied any involvement in the attack.

Russia launched the military offensive against Ukraine on February 24. President Putin said at the time that one of the goals of what he called a “special military operation” was to “de-Nazify” Ukraine.

Since the war began, the United States has been providing Kiev with military aid, including at least 16 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) systems.

In response to the Russian military operation, the US-led West also imposed sweeping sanctions on Moscow which in turn led to food crises in other countries with lesser resources.

In this regard, the United Nation warned that the continued food disruption would hurt African and other developing states, creating an “unprecedented global hunger crisis.”

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