The daughter of a close aide of Russian President Vladimir Putin has died in a suspected car bombing.

According to Russia’s Investigative Committee, Darya Dugin, the 29-year-old daughter of Alexander Dugin, died in the explosion.

It is believed that the explosion was intended to kill Alexander Dugin, a Russian philosopher known as “Putin’s brain”.

Alexander Dugin and his daughter went to attend a festival near Moscow and even though they were scheduled to return from the festival in the same car, they decided to travel separately at the last minute. It is said that the car belongs to her father Alexander Dugin.

According to the investigation committee, experts are currently inspecting the scene and the vehicle has been removed from the scene for further examination. The investigation committee said it has obtained the recording from the car’s dash cam and is continuing its investigation.

Dugin is known for his staunch anti-Western and ‘neo-Eurasian’ views. Westerners describe Dugin as a prominent ultra-nationalist figure close to the Russian president. Western media have portrayed him as a major force behind key aspects of President Vladimir Putin’s foreign policy. However, despite his reputation in the West, in Russia he has never received official support from the Kremlin and is largely considered a marginal figure.