Luhansks Ex-Mayor Dies in Suspicious Blast Amid Rising Tensions

The former mayor of Luhansk, who was installed by the Kremlin, was killed in an explosion in the city’s center, local media reported on Thursday.

“Sadly, it’s accurate,” an unnamed relative of ex-Mayor Manolis Pilavov mentioned, according to the state-operated Luhansk Information Center.

Officials from the self-declared Luhansk People’s Republic confirmed there was one fatality and three injuries from the explosion, though they did not disclose the names of the victims.

Investigators announced they have initiated a criminal inquiry into the incident.

Footage released by law enforcement showed a blown-out entrance door at a residential building.

Mash, a Telegram news outlet linked to Russian security agencies, reported that the blast occurred when an individual opened the door. The channel later suggested that a woman might have unknowingly carried an explosive device in her handbag.

At this moment, it is unclear if this account can be verified.

Pilavov held the position of Moscow-aligned mayor of Luhansk from 2014, when pro-Russian forces took control of the city, until 2023.