Explosion in Moscow Luxury Apartment Kills Two, Including Paramilitary Leader

Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced the revival of the Intervision Song Contest, an event originally launched during the Soviet era, as a response to the perceived decadence of modern Western culture. According to the decree signed by Putin on Monday, the event will be held in Moscow later this year with participation expected from China, Cuba, Brazil, and other allied nations. Putin's initiative comes after Russia was banned from competing in the Eurovision Song Contest in 2022 following its invasion of Ukraine. The planned Intervision will focus on "traditional universal, spiritual, and family values," which contrasts with Eurovision's inclusion of LGBT+ themes. Documents obtained by Reuters indicate that the contest will prohibit politically themed lyrics and encourage artists to respect cultural and ethical traditions. Intervision was first launched under Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev in the 1960s as a counter to the capitalist Eurovision, fostering collaboration among Eastern Bloc countries. The contest aims to highlight Russia's stance as a defender of conservative values amid increasing tensions with the West.

A deadly explosion in a luxury apartment complex in Moscow, Russia, has killed Armen Sarkisyan, a pro-Russian paramilitary leader from eastern Ukraine. According to state news agency TASS, the blast occurred on February 3 as Sarkisyan, along with his bodyguards, entered the basement of the "Scarlet Sails" complex near the Moskva River, approximately 12 kilometers from the Kremlin. The explosion resulted in the death of one bodyguard and injured three others, reported the newspaper Kommersant. TASS stated that the bombing is considered a "well-planned assassination," with investigators currently working to identify those responsible. Sarkisyan, described by Ukraine’s SBU security service as a crime boss in the Donetsk region, had previously formed a pro-Russian military unit composed mainly of local convicts to support Moscow's military efforts. He was linked to illegal activities and had faced allegations of aiding armed groups. Since the conflict began in 2014, much of Donetsk has been under Russian control. There has been no immediate response from Ukrainian officials regarding the incident.

A bomb explosion in the lobby of the Scarlet Sails luxury apartment complex in Moscow has resulted in at least one death and four injuries. The attack occurred as Armen Sarkisyan, a pro-Russian paramilitary leader from eastern Ukraine, entered the building accompanied by bodyguards, according to Russian state media TASS. Footage from the scene showed significant damage, with shattered glass and debris scattered throughout the lobby. Sarkisyan, who has been characterized as a "crime boss" by Ukraine's SBU intelligence service, is critically injured and undergoing a leg amputation, reported RIA Novosti. Russian authorities are treating the incident as an "assassination attempt" and have launched a criminal investigation. "The assassination attempt on Sarkisyan was carefully planned and was ordered," a police official stated, as efforts to identify those behind the attack continue. The SBU previously alleged that Sarkisyan was involved in forming pro-Russian military groups in the Donetsk region, which has been under Russian influence since 2014. This incident follows a similar attack in December that killed Russian General Igor Kirillov outside a Moscow residence.