Preliminary reports indicate that Armen Sarkisian, also known as Armen Horlivskyi, head of the so-called "DNR" Boxing Federation and founder of the illegal armed group "Arbat", has been eliminated in moscow. He suffered severe injuries due to an explosion in the "Alye Parusa" residential complex, according to russian Interfax, citing law enforcement sources.
Earlier on Monday, russian emergency services reported that one person had been killed in an explosion at a luxury residential complex in northwestern moscow. Four others were reportedly injured.
Later, a russian media outlet edited its report, replacing "killed" with "critically injured".
However, russian state channels claim that Sarkisian died in the hospital. According to preliminary reports, the cause of death was a penetrating chest wound from shrapnel near the heart, as reported by Mash. The Shot media outlet states that multiple injuries caused his death, also mentioning that his leg was torn off.
Local "DNR" social media groups also reported the incident:
"The 46-year-old Sarkisian was training our fighters in Horlivka. He was wanted in Ukraine".
As previously reported, in December, the 3rd Directorate of the SBU’s Main Department in Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts issued an in-absentia suspicion against Armen Sarkisian, a crime boss from the Yanukovych era who had been recruiting prisoners to fight against Ukraine.
Earlier reports also indicated that Armen Horlivskyi was actively recruiting residents of the Kursk oblast to join the "Kursk" battalion.