Russian President Vladimir Putin’s inner circle targeted by string of deadly car bomb attacks

Members of Vladimir Putin’s inner circle are being brutally killed one by one – and the slayings have revealed a growing crisis for the leader.

At least four members of Vladimir Putin’s inner circle have been assassinated in recent weeks, and now, attention is turning to who could be next on the bloody hit list.

Last weekend, Darya Dugina – the 29-year-old daughter of Putin’s so-called “spiritual guide” Alexander Dugin – died in a fiery car bomb in Moscow which many believe was intended for her ultranationalist father, described as a mastermind of the Ukraine invasion.

Days after the young journalist’s death, the Russian leader publicly declared it to be a “vile, cruel crime” against a “patriot of Russia”, and rumours began swirling that Ukraine had orchestrated the blast – a claim furiously denied by Kyiv.

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Daria Dugina (right) with her father Alexander Dugin, sometimes referred to as ‘Putin’s brain’ or ‘spiritual guide’.

Then, just days later, a top pro-Putin official was killed in another car bomb.

Ivan Sushko, a 40-year-old married father-of-one who served as an official in the occupied Zaporizhzhia region of Ukraine, also died after a blast ripped apart his car.

Mr Sushko was the head of the Mykhailivka – Russia’s military-civilian administration – in the area, which houses Europe’s biggest nuclear plant.

His death was confirmed by fellow senior official Vladimir Rogov, who revealed Mr Sushko was killed by “saboteurs”, with an investigation now under way.

“An explosive device had been placed under his car seat,” he said, pointing the finger at Ukrainians and claiming that Russian officials were in the area to “help improve the lives of ordinary people”.

Ivan Sushko was also killed by a car bomb on August 24. Picture: Twitter

Just one day before Mr Sushko’s death, another Russian leader narrowly survived a near-identical attempt on his life.

On Monday, the deputy head of domestic policy for occupied Kherson, Igor Telegin, was rushed to hospital after his car was targeted by a radio-controlled roadside bomb, although he is reportedly recovering despite sustaining extensive injuries.

And in recent weeks, at least two other Russian officials have been killed in Ukraine in similar circumstances, including Vitaly Gura, who was gunned down on August 6, and Dmitry Savluchenko, who died after a car bombing in late June.

Elites spooked by killings

The string of assassinations have reportedly rocked Russia’s elites, who believed they and their loved ones would be safe as the Ukraine war raged.

However, despite the deaths making global headlines, the mystery of who was behind the attacks is yet to be solved.

But in the wake of Ms Dugina’s death, Ilya Ponomarev – a former Russian MP who was expelled for anti-Kremlin activities – has come forward to claim an underground group known as the National Republican Army (NRA) may actually have been responsible.

According to Mr Ponomarev, the Russian partisans are operating within home soil and are on a mission to topple Mr Putin – and his supporters.

Appearing on Russian-language television channel February Morning a day after Ms Dugina’s assassination, Mr Ponomarev read parts of the NRA’s manifesto, claiming it proved the group was planning more attacks against Mr Putin’s “accomplices”.

A former Russian MP has claimed that more ‘accomplices’ of Vladimir Putin could be targeted. Picture: Mikhail Klimentyev/Sputnik/AFP

“We declare President Putin a usurper of power and a war criminal who amended the Constitution, unleashed a fratricidal war between the Slavic peoples and sent Russian soldiers to certain and senseless death,” the manifesto states.

“Poverty and coffins for some, palaces for others – the essence of his policy. We believe that disenfranchised people have the right to rebel against tyrants.

“Putin will be deposed and destroyed by us … Those who do not resign their power will be destroyed by us.”

It comes amid ongoing allegations that Mr Putin’s health is declining, and as Britain’s Ministry of Defence offered a new, damning summary of Russia’s operations in Ukraine.

“Operationally, Russia is suffering from shortages of munitions, vehicles and personnel. Morale is poor in many parts of its military and its army is significantly degraded,” the Ministry of Defence declared in its most recent assessment.

Putin’s daughter under guard

Meanwhile, separate reports have emerged that Mr Putin sent dozens of Russian intelligence officers to watch over one of his daughters when she repeatedly travelled to the West to meet her lover.

Katerina Tikhonova, deputy director at the mathematical research of complex systems at Moscow State University, was reportedly accompanied by security during European jaunts to see her lover. Picture: Andrey Rudakov/Bloomberg via Getty Images

An investigation by the Important Stories media outlet and Der Spiegel claims the Russian leader ordered the squad to secretly accompany his daughter Katerina Tikhonova, 35, when she visited various European locations as her romantic relationship with ballet dancer Igor Zelensky, 53, flourished after the collapse of her marriage. The pair reportedly share a two-year-old daughter.

The series of trips to the West occurred over four years and came after Mr Putin lashed Russians who enjoyed the benefits of a Western lifestyle.