Former Occupation-Era Mayor of Luhansk Killed in Explosion Near His Residence
In the city of Luhansk, which has been under pro-Russian control for several years, a mysterious and tragic incident occurred. On the morning of July 3, an explosion took place near the entrance of a building on Taras Shevchenko Street, belonging to the former 'city mayor' of the occupation administration, Manolis Pilavov. This individual played a prominent role within the pro-Russian occupying structures in the region, leading the city for nearly nine years since 2014. The blast destroyed the building’s entrance completely, and the shockwave threw people several meters away. As a result of the incident, three other individuals were injured. According to reports from Russian Telegram channels Mash and Baza, sources close to the Russian security services claim that the explosive device was placed in a bag belonging to a woman who approached the building’s entrance. The Russian Investigative Committee has already initiated a criminal case for intentional homicide. The former mayor of Luhansk, 61-year-old Manolis Pilavov, who also served as the president of the local football federation and was a member of the Party of Regions, remains a significant figure associated with the period of occupation and destruction of the city. His death marks yet another grim reminder of the tense and complex situation in the region, which continues to attract international attention.