Founder of Pro-Russian Militia Killed in Moscow Explosion
The founder of a pro-Russian paramilitary group in eastern Ukraine, Armen Sarkisyan, has died following a bombing in central Moscow. Russian state media confirmed his death, while Ukrainian authorities described him as a “criminal mastermind.”
Explosion in Moscow’s Elite Residential Complex
Sarkisyan succumbed to his injuries on Monday at a Moscow hospital after an explosion rocked the Aliye Parusa residential complex, an upscale area in the Russian capital. The Russian Investigative Committee later confirmed his death, stating:
“Despite the assistance provided, one of the victims died in a medical facility.”
A local resident captured footage of the aftermath, which was later published by the independent Russian media outlet SOTA.
Who Was Armen Sarkisyan?
Also known as “Armen Gorlovsky”—a reference to his hometown of Horlivka (Gorlovka in Russian) in eastern Ukraine—Sarkisyan was a key figure in the pro-Russian separatist movement.
- He founded the Arbat Battalion, a militia fighting in Ukraine’s eastern regions.
- Ukrainian Defense Intelligence labeled him a “supervisor” of prisons across Russia and occupied territories of Ukraine.
- He was an ally of Viktor Yanukovych, Ukraine’s former pro-Russian president, and was wanted in Ukraine for his role in suppressing 2014 protests.
Ties to Wagner Group and Russia’s Private Military Scene
Sarkisyan’s Arbat Battalion was established in 2022 as an effort to counterbalance the influence of the Wagner Group, a notorious private military company led by Yevgeny Prigozhin.
- The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reported in October 2023 that Arbat was composed almost entirely of ex-Wagner fighters.
- Prigozhin, once a powerful figure in Russia’s military operations, died in a plane crash in 2023, just two months after his attempted mutiny against the Kremlin.
Kremlin’s Response
When asked about the bombing, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov remained tight-lipped, stating:
“The special services are doing their job. It is difficult work. The information is being clarified, and work is ongoing, so it is impossible for us to comment at this time.”
Who Was Behind the Attack?
Authorities have not yet revealed who was responsible for the explosion. However, given Sarkisyan’s controversial history and ties to Russia’s shadowy military networks, speculation is mounting over whether his death was a targeted assassination or an internal power struggle.
As investigations continue, this incident adds another layer of instability and intrigue to the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
