Pro-Russia commander killed in bombing in eastern Ukraine

A top commander of pro-Russia forces has been killed in a bombing in eastern Ukraine, local authorities say, accusing the Kiev government over his death.

According to pro-Russia forces, Arsen Pavlov, together with his bodyguard, was killed on Sunday evening when a bomb exploded in an elevator at the entrance to his apartment building in the eastern volatile region of Donetsk.

"The bomb was placed above the lift's cabin. The blast was concentrated inside the cabin," said Eduard Basurin, the military spokesman for pro-Russia forces and deputy defense minister of the self-declared Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR).

"We had intelligence from our agent networks that diversionary groups were being sent our way to kill prominent military and political leaders," he added.

Pavlov, 33, was born in Russia and commanded military battalions fighting Ukrainian government forces in several key battles.

Officials with pro-Russia forces in Donetsk say Pavlov’s assassination amounted to a declaration of "war" by the Kiev government and have promised revenge.

SS