**Russian Official Killed in Car Bombing**
A top official in Russian-occupied Berdiansk was killed in an explosion on February 20. The Ukrainian military intelligence agency (HUR) said Yevgeny Bogdanov, deputy head of the local occupation administration, died in the blast.
Bogdanov was accused by HUR of committing war crimes against Ukrainian citizens. He oversaw the financial management for the occupation and coordinated the construction of fortifications in Russian-occupied areas of Zaporizhzhia Oblast.
The explosion occurred when a gray Renault Duster exploded and burned completely, according to HUR. Bogdanov was inside the vehicle at the time of the blast.
Bogdanov arrived in Berdiansk soon after Russia’s troops occupied the city in early 2022. He was appointed to the local administration on orders from Russian special services.
**Context**
Berdiansk is a key transport hub on the Azov Sea and remains strategically important for Russia, particularly for shipping looted Ukrainian grain and resources.
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began, there have been reports of multiple assassinations of Russian-appointed officials and military commanders in occupied Ukraine. Many of these incidents involved car bombs.
In December, Vasyl Nechet, the Russian-installed head of Berdiansk, was injured in a similar car explosion. In October, Russian Major Dmitry Pervukha was killed in occupied Luhansk under similar circumstances.
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