Car explosion wounds former aide to Ukraine's ex-prime minister in Moscow

A car explosion in Moscow wounded Sergei Zavorotniy, a former aide to Ukraine's former prime minister Mykola Azarov, Russia's Investigative Committee said on Telegram.

"Serhiy Zavorotny, a former adviser to the former Prime Minister of Ukraine Mykola Azarov, who was driving a car, was injured. He was taken to one of the city hospitals, where he is receiving medical care," a statement from the committee said on Telegram.

"A set of necessary investigative actions is being carried out. A number of examinations will be appointed, including medical and explosives."

Unconfirmed reports from Russia claim he has lost his left arm and suffered a brain injury, broken ribs and right leg.

The explosion happened on Friday morning. It came a day after a car explosion in the Pushkinsky District of Saint Petersburg killed a member of the Russian military.

Russia says the car explosions are the latest in a series of attacks targeting pro-Kremlin figures.

Overnight, Ukraine and Russia exchanged attacks on each other's territories. Ukrainian authorities said a hospital had been targeted by Russian bombardment. They added that three people, including a 17-year-old boy, were also killed in attacks across southern Odesa and Zaporizhzhia.

Russia said a Ukrainian strike on an industrial facility in the central Samara region killed four people. And in the southern Volgograd region another four died after an industrial zone was hit by drones. A further person died in the Bryansk border region, an area that is often fired upon.

Ukraine says these are retaliatory attacks over Russia's persistent targeting of its cities.

Peace talks in Dublin

This week has seen informal peace talks in Dublin at a military airbase. US envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff earlier had spoken with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow.

On Thursday in Dublin, Kushner said Putin was willing to accept European input in the peace process. On Friday, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said that European voice could not be confined to just member states - paving the way for the UK to have a role.

Ahead of an informal meeting of the EU Council, he said: "The discussions today will focus perhaps both on the content and the type of peace that Europe wants to secure, the sustainable peace, and then also in terms of there will be discussion, obviously, in terms of who represents Europe."

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky has welcomed the pledge of European involvement.

Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022 and about a fifth of the country is now under occupation. Continued efforts to broker peace have failed so far, despite intensive talks.

Why it matters

The car explosions in Moscow and Saint Petersburg come as peace talks continue in Dublin, highlighting the ongoing violence alongside diplomatic efforts to end the war.

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Sources

• bbc.com: Russia hit by second car bomb in as many days as peace talks continue
• dw.com: Ukraine updates: Second car bomb hits Russia in two days

This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.