Russia Points Finger at Ukraine for Darya Dugina Assasination; US State Department Issues Travel Alert – Opinion

Early Monday Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) accused Ukraine of being behind the assassination of Darya Dugina, daughter of Alexander Dugin, the man known as Vladimir Putin’s Rasputin. According to RedState, Dugina was killed in Moscow on Saturday evening when her car exploded. There’s speculation as to whether Alexander Dugin was the target and narrowly escaped when he decided to take a separate vehicle home instead of riding with his daughter as planned, or if Dugina herself was the target.

Regardless, it was widely thought that if Russia could in any way blame this on Ukraine, that hostilities could quickly and greatly escalate, so it’s not surprising that a Security Alert was issued late Monday by the State Department warning US citizens to leave Ukraine immediately. The obvious precipitating incident was however ignored by the alert.

The Department of State has information that Russia is stepping up efforts to launch strikes against Ukraine’s civilian infrastructure and government facilities in the coming days. Russian strikes in Ukraine are a continuing threat to civilians, infrastructure and civil life. U.S. Embassy calls on citizens to evacuate Ukraine immediately using ground transportation available privately if they feel safe.

Although Ukrainian officials deny any involvement in the plot, the FSB claims that the assassin was a female special service contractor from Ukraine. BBC report:

The FSB told Russian media that a Ukrainian woman had moved to Russia in July alongside her young daughter – but that she was in fact a Ukrainian special services contractor.

According to the report, the woman rented an apartment in Ms Dugina’s building for one month while she prepared for the attack. In that time, she allegedly followed Ms Dugina through Moscow in a Mini Cooper – for which she used three different licence plates.

According to the FSB, the suspect fled Estonia in the aftermath of the explosion.

In addition to being a contractor for Ukraine’s special services, Russia’s FSB claims the assassin is a member of Ukraine’s Azov battalion, which Russia has labeled a terrorist organization.

Putin granted Dugina the Order of Courage, a prestigious Russian award, Monday, “for courage and selflessness shown in the performance of professional duty,” according to the Kremlin.

Alexander Dugin, his daughter and ultra-nationalists believe that all Russian-speaking territory (including Ukraine) should be united by using violence. Dugin issued a statement on Telegram about his daughter’s murder, claiming only victory in Ukraine is needed as revenge:

“My daughter Darya Dugina was brutally murdered in front of me. Beautiful Orthodox woman who was also a patriot, war reporter and expert on central TV. She was also a philosopher. Our hearts are not simply thirsting for revenge or retribution….We only need our victory. My daughter sacrificed her young woman’s life to its altar. So please, achieve it!”

There’s still rampant speculation amongst those who watch Eastern Europe closely about who’s really responsible. Some believe the assassination is a result of a power struggle between Russia’s intelligence services, and one former Russian lawmaker, Ilya Ponomaryov, who’s now based in Ukraine, “said a previously unknown group of Russian militants called the National Republican Army was responsible,” according to Reuters. Within Russia, though, Putin doesn’t really need evidence. It is enough for him to assert that Ukraine is guilty, which gives him the moral mandate to increase attacks on Ukraine, particularly the Azov Battalion. While he conducts an in-depth investigation into his intelligence services, he can determine whether there was any kind of inside job. Sadly, it’s a win-win for Vladimir Putin.

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