Vladimir Putin’s inner circle fear coup after war guru’s daughter killed in car bomb attack in Russia

Vladimir Putin’s inner circle fear a coup after the daughter of the mastermind behind his invasion of Ukraine was killed in a car bombing.

Vladimir Putin’s inner circle is on high alert after the daughter of the mastermind behind his invasion of Ukraine was killed in a car bombing.

Rogue elements within the Russian security services and resistance fighters who want to overthrow the regime are among the suspects in the Moscow assassination of Darya Dugina, 30.

The TV pundit’s Rasputin-lookalike father Alexander Dugin – known as “Putin’s brain” – is believed to have been the intended target of a device planted under his car, The Sun reports.

But the Neo-Nazi mystic and close political ally of Mr Putin narrowly escaped the fatal blast after switching cars at the last minute on Saturday evening.

The murder shocked the Kremlin elite and sparked furious demands in pro-Putin media for nuclear strikes against Ukraine and the West.

But analysts doubt Kyiv would have ordered the hit – and instead are pinning the blame on forces much closer to home.

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Vladimir Putin’s war guru Alexander Dugin was pictured in despair at the scene of the blast that killed his daughter. Picture: Twitter/@UrgentAlertNews

It comes amid reports Mr Putin’s health is “sharply deteriorating” and he is flailing strategically as he faces defeat in Ukraine.

Moscow investigators today confirmed an explosive device was planted under the Toyota Land Cruiser Prado she was driving.

The father-daughter duo were returning from a “Tradition” festival and were due to travel in the same car, before the 60-year-old took a separate motor at the last minute.

Mr Dugin was pictured at the scene holding his head in despair as he watched Ms Darya’s car burn. He was later taken to hospital.

The assassination attempt has terrified Putin’s cronies who fear they could be next, experts say. Picture: Mikhail Klimentyev/Sputnik/AFP

Putin’s cronies clamoured for Russia to take revenge against officials in Kyiv to reassert their authority.

The Russian puppet regime in occupied Donetsk said “terrorists of the Ukrainian regime” were behind the blast, but the war-torn country has denied responsibility.

Analysts said the ambush was designed to intimidate Putin loyalists such as Mr Dugin, who is thought to be an architect of the Ukraine war.

And it sparked fears among the President’s top generals that they could be the next target.

Russian investigators seen combing the scene on Sunday after an explosive device was planted on Dugin’s car. Picture: Handout / Investigative Committee of Russia / AFP

‘Internal conflict’

Now suspicion has fallen on Mr Putin’s own loyal henchmen amid rumours security agents want to oust the despot from power.

It is believed elements within Mr Putin’s FSB spy agency might have orchestrated the attack on Mr Dugin’s vehicle.

Russian historian Dr Yuri Felshtinsky said the car bomb was “most likely part of an internal Russian conflict” and ordered by those with an interest in eliminating Mr Dugin.

He told The Daily Beast: “The blowing up of the car of the famous Russian fascist and ideologist of the Putin regime, Alexander Dugin, was organised, it seems, by the Russian security services.

“The Ukrainian special services, involved in a deadly battle with the aggressor on the territory of Ukraine, are unlikely to be able to send their officers to Moscow to organise terrorist attacks there.”

The historian described Mr Dugin as an “odious figure in the Russian nationalist movement” with major international connections.

And he hinted that the wealth and power of “Putin’s Rasputin” could have earned him a target on his back among some Russians.

Darya Dugin, pictured with her controversial father, was killed by a car bomb on Saturday. Picture: Twitter.

Mr Dugin was due to travel in the Toyota Land Cruiser Prado with his daughter and is believed to have been the intended target. Picture: Twitter.

Other experts raised the possibility that Mr Putin himself may have ordered the hit on Mr Dugin after facing criticism from his adviser for not going far enough in Ukraine.

Meanwhile, a former member of the Duma parliament who was expelled for anti-Kremlin activities echoed suspicions of internal conflict, but pinned the blame on “partisans”.

Ilya Ponomarev, now based in Ukraine, claimed the explosion was the work of the National Republican Army, who he claims are planning Mr Putin’s downfall.

He referred to their menacing manifesto which vowed to “depose and destroy” the war-hungry leader.

Mr Ponomarev also alleged the underground group were plotting similar attacks against other high-profile Russians, including oligarchs and politicians.

He added: “A momentous event took place near Moscow last night. This attack opens a new page in Russian resistance to Putinism.

“New – but not the last.”

The freedom fighters want to release their country from the tyrant’s harsh regime and aren’t scared of tackling his “accomplices” either.

Mr Putin’s former speechwriter and political analyst Abbas Gallyamov also weighed in on the assassination, describing it as a “symbolic act” aimed to intimidate Kremlin loyalists.

“This is no longer an abstract war that you watch on TV,” he said.

“This is already happening in Russia. Not only Crimea is being bombed, but terrorist attacks are already being carried out in the Moscow region.”

Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, denied Ukrainian involvement, saying: “We are not a criminal state, unlike Russia, and definitely not a terrorist state.”

This article originally appeared on The Sun and was reproduced with permission