SAWT BEIRUT INTERNATIONAL

| 28 March 2024, Thursday |

U.S. believes Ukraine was behind killing of Dugina in Russia, NYT says

According to the New York Times, US intelligence agencies think portions of the Ukrainian government authorized a car bomb assault outside Moscow in August that murdered Darya Dugina, the daughter of a prominent Russian nationalist.

Reuters was unable to confirm the allegation, which cited anonymous US officials, immediately. Ukraine denied any participation in the incident again on Thursday.

According to the Times, the US had no role in the attack on Dugina and was unaware of it beforehand. According to the Times, American authorities later chastised Ukrainian officials over the killing.

Dugina, 29, was killed when a car bomb tore through the Toyota Land Cruiser she was driving on Aug. 20. Her father, Alexander, who had been in a separate car, was pictured holding his head in shock as he surveyed the wreckage of the vehicle.

After the killing, Ukraine denied any involvement, while Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) accused Ukraine’s secret services of being behind it.

In a message to Dugina’s family, President Vladimir Putin described her as a “bright, talented person with a real Russian heart – kind, loving, sympathetic and open”. He called her murder a “vile, cruel crime”.

If Ukraine were behind the killing, it would illustrate Kyiv’s ability to strike at targets in Moscow while also potentially opening up the Ukrainian elite in Kyiv to revenge attacks from Russia.

“The involvement of the Ukrainian state in this terrorist act, in this murder of a young girl was argued and proven by our special services,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday.

Peskov said the Times report was positive in the sense that it appeared that U.S. intelligence agreed with Russia on who was behind the killing.

    Source:
  • Reuters