Russian police, Photo: Alexander Blinov
A powerful explosion rocked the prestigious Ali Parusa residential complex in Moscow on Monday, 3 February. The explosion killed one person and injured four others. Among the injured was criminal mastermind Armen “Horlivka” Sargsyan, president of the Boxing Federation of the so-called “DPR” and founder of the Armenian volunteer battalion “Arbat”, which is fighting on the side of the Russian army in Ukraine.
Details of the explosion
According to the Russian media, the explosive device detonated when Sargsyan was in the entrance of the residential complex with his bodyguards. The blast wave seriously injured him, but he survived. The Russian law enforcement agencies opened a criminal case under the article on murder and attempted murder of two or more persons.
Who is Armen ‘Horlivka’?
Armen Sargsyan is a well-known figure in the criminal world. He had been hiding for a long time in the occupied territories of Ukraine and worked closely with Russian law enforcement agencies. The Security Service of Ukraine and the National Police of Ukraine documented his crimes and put him on the international wanted list for organising the killings in the centre of Kyiv during the Revolution of Dignity.
After the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion, Sargsyan created the Arbat armed group, which recruited repeat offenders convicted of serious crimes. His militants took part in battles against the Ukrainian Armed Forces, and he oversaw the recruitment of prisoners in the occupied territories of Donetsk region.
Financing the occupiers and criminal connections
The Security Service of Ukraine established that Sargsyan provided the Russian occupiers with fuel, thermal imagers and construction materials through controlled companies. He was served with a notice of suspicion in absentia.
It is currently unknown who was behind the explosion in Moscow. Russian security forces are considering several versions, including criminal activity, internal political strife in the DPR, or the activities of Ukrainian special services. However, one thing is clear: the war that Russia has unleashed against Ukraine is boomeranging back on it.
