Russian President Putin signs decree awarding Darya Dugina 'Order of Courage' posthumously

Russia has awarded Russian philosopher Alexander Dugin's daughter Darya Dugina the Order of Courage posthumously. Russian President Vladimir Putin signed an executive order awarding the Order of courage to Darya Dugina posthumously for her "dedication and courage" while performing her work, according to a statement released by the Kremlin. Darya Dugina died in a car explosion near Moscow on August 20. 

The statement released on the Kremlin's website reads, "Under the Executive Order, Darya Dugina was awarded the Order of Courage posthumously for courage and dedication while performing her professional duty. Ms Dugina was a correspondent for the non-public Tsargrad media outlet in Moscow."

Darya Dugina 'proved by deed what it means to be a patriot of Russia': Putin

Earlier on August 22, Russian President Vladimir Putin offered condolences to Darya Dugina's family. In his message of condolence to Dugina's family, Putin termed her assassination "a vile" and "cruel crime." He stated that Darya Dugina was a "bright talented person with a true Russian heart." He underscored that Dugina was a journalist, scientist, philosopher and war correspondent who served the people. Notably, Russia has blamed Ukraine for Darya Dugina's assassination. However, Ukraine has denied any involvement in the killing of Putin's aide's daughter. 

Russian President Vladimir Putin's message of condolence released on Telegram read, "A vile, cruel crime cut short the life of Darya Dugina, a bright, talented person with a true Russian heart: kind, loving, sympathetic and open. Journalist, scientist, philosopher, and war correspondent, she honestly served the people and the Fatherland, and proved by deed what it means to be a patriot of Russia."

Russia blames Ukraine for Darya Dugina's death

The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) has claimed that Ukraine's special services was responsible for the assassination of Darya Dugina, The Associated Press reported. The FSB said that a Ukrainian woman Natalya Vovk came to Russia with her daughter and carried out the killing. According to the FSB, Vovk along with her daughter arrived in Russia in July and rented an apartment in the same building where Dugina lived. On August 20, Dugina and her daughter attended the festival where Alexander Dugin and Darya Dugina were also present. 

It further said that Vovk used a separatist Donetsk region's license plate in her vehicle for entering Russia, a Kazakhstan plate in Moscow and a Ukrainian plate when she left Russia. The FSB claimed that Natalya Vovk and her daughter moved to Estonia after carrying out the explosion. Meanwhile, Ukraine has denied any involvement in the car explosion that took place near Moscow. Taking to his official Twitter handle, Mykhailo Podolyak, adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, dismissed Russia's claims as "fiction." In a tweet, Mykhailo Podolyak said, "Ru-propaganda lives in a fictional world."

(With inputs from AP, Image: AP/Republic)