Russia accuses Ukrainian intelligence of directing writer's car bomb attack

Russian investigators say the suspect in the car bombing of writer Zakhar Prilepin was directed by Ukrainian intelligence.

"During interrogation, Alexander Permyakov, the suspect in the assassination attempt on writer Zakhar Prilepin, said he acted on the instructions of Ukrainian intelligence services," the Russian Investigative Committee announced on May 6.

Earlier, Russian officials said police had arrested Permyakov, 30, born in Ukraine, on charges of involvement in the bombing of writer Prilepin's car in Nizhny Novgorod province the same morning.

Russia releases video of arrest of car bombing suspect — Russia released video of the arrest of the suspect in the car bombing in Nizhny Novgorod on May 6. Video: *Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation*

The bomb exploded as the car was traveling on a highway through the village of Pionersky, about 400 km east of Moscow, killing the driver at the scene. Writer Prilepin was wounded in both legs and was taken to a local hospital for treatment and is in critical condition.

"The suspect admitted that he was recruited by Ukrainian intelligence in 2018 and came to Russia in 2022 with the mission to assassinate Prilepin," the Russian Investigative Committee said.

Russia has opened a terrorism investigation following the car bombing. Investigators are searching for Permyakov's accomplices, and have not ruled out the possibility that a sabotage group operating in Russia was behind the attempted assassination.

Investigators said the car had a bomb planted under its body. Photos from the scene showed the car flipped over and lying on its side on the edge of a forest, next to a large crater left by the explosion and surrounded by metal fragments. Russian officials believe the suspect detonated the bomb remotely and fled the scene before being arrested by three local police officers.

A view shows a damaged white Audi Q7 car lying overturned on a track next to a wood, after Russian nationalist writer Zakhar Prilepin was allegedly wounded in a bomb attack in a village in the Nizhny Novgorod region, Russia, May 6, 2023. Reuters — The car carrying writer Prilepin overturned and flew into the forest after the explosion on May 6. Photo: *Reuters*

The State Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) refused to comment, deny or accept responsibility for the bombing.

Zakhar Prilepin is a writer and political commentator with a strong nationalist perspective in Russia. Since 2014, he has devoted much of his attention to the Ukrainian issue. He has served as an advisor to Alexander Zakharchenko, the leader of the separatist forces in Donetsk Oblast, and has fought directly in the Donbass region.

In August 2022, he co-founded a political group among Russian artists, advocating "cultural space reform", calling for a boycott of artists who oppose the campaign in Ukraine.

Russia has recently seen a number of bombings targeting politically influential people and people with right-wing views.

Journalist Darya Dugina, daughter of renowned academic Alexander Dugin, was killed in a car bomb attack on a highway about 20 km from Moscow in August 2022. Russian military blogger Vladlen Tatarsky was killed and 40 others were injured in a cafe bombing in St. Petersburg last month.

Thanh Danh (According to TASS, AFP, Reuters )

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