Kiev Denies Involvement in Death of Dugin's Daughter in Russia

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Ukrainian Presidential Adviser Mikhail Podolyak said on Sunday that Kiev had nothing to do with the car accident that killed Russian journalist Daria Dugina, the daughter of Russian political philosopher and analyst Alexander Dugin, in the Moscow Region.

On Saturday night, a law enforcement source confirmed to Sputnik that a car caught fire on Mozhayskoye Highway in the Odintsovsky District. The Russian Investigative Committee established that an explosive device was planted under the bottom of the car, on the driver's side.

"Ukraine has nothing to do with it," Podolyak said during a pan-Ukrainian telethon.

At present, investigators continue to inspect the scene of the accident. The burned car, which was subsequently evacuated to a specialized parking, has been examined with the participation of an explosives specialist. Investigators have seized a video recording from the car's video recorder. The security services were ordered to identify those involved and witnesses.

Russian Investigative Committee chief Alexander Bastrykin has instructed the relevant authorities to transfer the criminal case on the murder of Dugina to the Main Investigation Department for a further comprehensive and objective investigation.

The Russian Foreign Ministry has warned that if suspicions that Ukraine was involved in Dugina's death are confirmed, "it will point at Kiev's policy of state terrorism."

Daria Dugina was included in UK sanctions lists in July. Dugin himself was sanctioned by the European Union, the United States and Canada in 2014 and 2015.