MOSCOW: The daughter of Alexander Dugin, a hardline Russian ideologue close to President Vladimir Putin, has been killed in a car bombing on Moscow`s outskirts, authorities said on Sunday.

According to family members quoted by Russian media, Dugin a vocal supporter of Kremlin`s offensive in Ukraine was the likely target of the blast as his daughter borrowed his car at the last minute.

Daria Dugina was killed when a bomb placed in the Toyota Land Cruiser went off as she drove on a highway near the village of Bolshie Vyzyomy, some 40 kilometres outside Moscow, Russia`s Investigative Committee said in a statement.

Dugina, a journalist born in 1992 who herself openly supported theoffensive, died on the scene and a homicide investigation has been opened, said the committee, which probes major crime cases in Russia.

In July, Britain put her on a list of sanctioned Russians for allegedlyoffensive, died on the scene and a homicide investigation has been opened, said the committee, which probes major crime cases in Russia.

In July, Britain put her on a list of sanctioned Russians for allegedlyspreading online disinformation about Ukraine.

Dugin, 60, sometimes called `Putin`s Rasputin` or `Putin`s brain,` is an outspoken Russian ultranationalist intellectual.

He has long advocated the unification of Russian-speaking territories in a vast new Russian empire and wholeheartedly supported Moscow`s operation in Ukraine.

He was put on a Western sanctions list after Russia annexed Crimea in 2014, a move he also backed.

Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova wrote on Telegram that `if the Ukrainian theory is confirmed... and it must be verified by competent authorities, it will amount to state terrorism on the part of the Kyiv regime`.-AFPspreading online disinformation about Ukraine.

Dugin, 60, sometimes called `Putin`s Rasputin` or `Putin`s brain,` is an outspoken Russian ultranationalist intellectual.

He has long advocated the unification of Russian-speaking territories in a vast new Russian empire and wholeheartedly supported Moscow`s operation in Ukraine.

He was put on a Western sanctions list after Russia annexed Crimea in 2014, a move he also backed.

Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova wrote on Telegram that `if the Ukrainian theory is confirmed... and it must be verified by competent authorities, it will amount to state terrorism on the part of the Kyiv regime`.-AFP