Moscow car bomb injures exiled aide to former Ukraine PM

Moscow car bomb injures exiled aide to former Ukraine PM A car explosion has left an exiled pro-Putin former-Ukrainian adviser hospitalised with injures in Moscow - this comes after a similar car attack the day before A car bomb in Moscow has left an exiled adviser to Ukraine's former pro-Vladimir Putin prime minister injured. An explosion stuck a car driven by Sergei Zavorotnyi, who previously worked as an adviser to former Prime Minister Mykola Azarov, according to Russia's Investigative Committee. Zavorotnyi served as press secretary to PM Azarov exiled to Russia following Ukrainian protests in 2014, and was later found guilty of high treason in absentia. Zavorotnyi, who also lives in Russia, was behind the wheel when his car exploded on Friday morning and rushed to hospital, officials said. Russia's REN TV channel said he was seriously injured and in a coma after the explosion. Unconfirmed reports from Russia have also claimed the former-aide has lost his left arm and suffered a brain injury, a broke right leg and broken ribs. No possible suspects have officially been identified pending a criminal investigation, the committee said. Former-PM Azarov however told state TV he believes his former adviser was targeted because of his criticism of Ukrainian authorities. Zavorotnyi, 72, had worked as a journalist for Russia's daily Komsomolskaya Pravda before becoming Azarov's adviser. He also ran an online outlet critical of Ukrainian authorities. This comes a day after a military serviceman was killed in a similar car explosion, in the Pushkinsky District of St. Petersburg, according to the Investigative Committee. It didn't identify the victim or say who could be behind the bombing. The Russian Fontanka news outlet claimed the victim was a colonel and claimed the bomb had been flown over the border from Ukraine in a balloon, and hidden before it was picked up and used in the attack. Other Russian online media claimed the victim of the St. Petersburg bombing was a senior air force officer. Ukrainian authorities haven't commented on either bombing. There have been a series of bombings and shootings in Russia targeting people involved in the illegal invasion of Ukraine. Moscow has blamed Kyiv for the attacks. Kyiv has claimed responsibility for some previous attacks inside Russia. Today's bombing comes as Russia's Defence Ministry said air defences downed 1,198 Ukrainian long-range drones between late Thursday and early Friday. However, the massive Ukrainian barrage killed seven people, including a 12-year-old, and wounded 17, officials in three Russian regions said. Ukrainian troops have used drones and ground robots to help defend against Russia's army along the around 1,200-kilometer (750-mile) front line. Russia launched 117 drones against Ukraine overnight, killing at least two people, including a 17-year-old, authorities said. Thirteen people, including five children, were injured in a single Russian attack on southern Zaporizhzhia on Friday, according to the State Emergency Service. Rescue workers freed 14 people who were trapped in their apartments, as the attack damaged flats and the facade of two five-story residential buildings. Two days of talks with Russian and Ukrainian delegations in Abu Dhabi were held this week. US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner went in person to brief Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin. The also travelled to Dublin, Ireland, to brief Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who was meeting with European Union leaders. Mr Kushner said Russia has agreed to include Europe in upcoming talks, after Moscow's long insistence that the continent’s governments were part of the problem because they were supporting Ukraine.