Russia Killing: The daughter of a prominent Russian ultranationalist who’s had major influence with President Vladimir Putin was killed yesterday in a car bombing.

 Daria Dugina, 29, died when her father’s Toyota Land Cruiser exploded on a highway 20 miles west of Moscow, bursting into flames and scattering pieces all over the road. She was the daughter of Aleksandr Dugin, a Russian author credited with being the architect or “spiritual guide” to the invasion of Ukraine. Dugina shared her father’s views, promoting them as a radio and television anchor. She had borrowed her father’s car.

  Often called “Putin’s Brain,” the elder Dugin is a proponent of the “Russian World” and “New Russia” ideologies that some have said pushed President Vladimir Putin’s decision to invade Ukraine.

 Daria on her broadcasts had railed about “Western hegemony” and the British government had placed sanctions on her as a “frequent and high-profile contributor of disinformation in relation to Ukraine and the Russian invasion of Ukraine on various online platforms.” 

  The question is whether this was a hit carried on behind enemy lines by Ukraine, or if it was a sign of internal dissent.

  A senior Ukrainian official denied responsibility. “Ukraine certainly had nothing to do with yesterday’s explosion,” Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to Ukraine’s president, said on television yesterday morning. “We are not a criminal state like the Russian Federation, much less a terrorist one.”

The War Zone: As Ukraine’s forces continue to hit behind enemy lines, one of their drones on Saturday struck the headquarters of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet in Crimea.

  The extent of damage, or whether anyone was killed, was not clear. It was not certain whether it was a direct hit or if the drone was shot down and fell on the building. Crimea has been occupied by Russia since they took the peninsula in 2014. 

  The attack came one day after Vladimir Putin fired the commander of the Black Sea Fleet following a series of setbacks including the losses of its flagship vessel in April and control of a small island in June that was critical to Russia’s naval operations.

  The Ukrainians make headlines with every success, but they are still facing a powerful enemy across a broad front. The Ukraine military admits that Russia hits something like 700 front line positions every day.

Diary of a Mad War: The Washington Post has published excerpts of the war diary written by Russian paratrooper Pavel Filatyev, who was rotated back to his country for medical treatment and then defected. He wrote about being uninformed by commanders, under-equipped, and poorly nourished. Here are just a few paragraphs.

— On Arriving in Kerson, Ukraine, “Everyone looked exhausted and ran wild. We searched the buildings for food, water, showers and a place to sleep, someone began to take out computers and anything else of value

— “We were digging in, artillery was shelling us, our aviation was almost nowhere to be seen. We just held positions in the trenches on the front line, we could not shower, eat, or sleep properly. Everyone had overgrown beards and were covered in dirt, uniforms and shoes began to fray.

— “Some soldiers began to shoot themselves … to get [the government money] and get out of this hell. Our prisoner had his fingers and genitals cut off. Dead Ukrainians at one of the posts were plopped on seats, given names and cigarettes.”

— “I survived, unlike many others. My conscience tells me that I must try to stop this madness. … We did not have the moral right to attack another country, especially the people closest to us.

  This is an army that bullies its own soldiers, those who have already been in the war, those who do not want to return there and die for something they don’t even understand.

  I will tell you a secret. The majority in the army, they are dissatisfied with what is happening there, they are dissatisfied with the government and their command, they are dissatisfied with Putin and his policies, they are dissatisfied with the Minister of Defense who did not serve in the army.”

The Spin Rack: South Carolina’s Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham has been given  a temporary reprieve from having to appear before the Fulton County, Georgia grand jury investigating efforts to overturn the 2020 election. The 11th US Circuit Court of Appeals said it wants both sides to argue what questions would be appropriate for a sitting US senator. Graham has said a senator shouldn’t have to answer questions at all. — Flash flooding at the Carlsbad Caverns National Park in New Mexico over the weekend forced the evacuation of about 160 people. — Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong of Singapore announced that the city state’s ban on gay sex will be repealed. The decision comes after years of fierce debate. — First Lady Jill Biden is out of isolation after testing negative for the coronavirus.

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