Russian Author Survives Car Explosion, Driver Killed

A car carrying Zakhar Prilepin, a well-known Russian writer and political activist, was hit by an explosion near Nizhny Novgorod, with several Russian media outlets reporting the incident on Saturday.

According to RIA Novosti, Prilepin survived the blast, but his driver was killed. Prilepin's press service confirmed he was "all right," but provided no further details.

A source cited by TASS claimed that the writer "was injured, but remains conscious," and that the explosive device was planted underneath the vehicle.

The explosion reportedly occurred as Prilepin was returning from a trip to two Donbas republics.

Despite the severity of the incident, Prilepin's daughter, who was also present in the car, was not injured. The governor of Nizhny Novgorod Region stated that Russian law enforcement agencies are investigating the attack.

The radical Ukrainian group, Atesh, claimed responsibility for the attack, citing that they have been pursuing Prilepin since the beginning of the year.