Europe

Prominent Ukrainian separatist killed in Moscow

Associated Press
Published | Updated

FILE - In this Feb. 22. 2014 file photo, Yevgeny Zhilin, the leader of the Oplot organization supporting Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych, speaks at the congress of provincial lawmakers and officials in the Ukrainian eastern city of Kharkiv. A Russian Investigative Committee official, speaking on Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2016, said that police are looking for a gunman who fatally shot Zhilin at a suburban Moscow restaurant. (AP Photo/Sergei Chuzavkov, File) (The Associated Press)

A car is parked outside the restaurant where Yevgeny Zhilin, a prominent Ukrainian separatist figure, was shot dead on Monday, in Gorky outside Moscow, Russia, Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2016. Yevgeny Zhilin, 40, was shot Monday night in the Gorki-2 neighborhood west of Moscow. Zhilin was an early organizer of the separatist movement in eastern Ukraine and took part in combat activities. He was also the leader of the pro-Russian group Oplot, which had its own militarized forces. Zhilin has been on Ukraine's wanted list since 2015. (AP Photo/Vladimir Kondrashov) (The Associated Press)

A car is parked outside the restaurant where Yevgeny Zhilin, a prominent Ukrainian separatist figure, was shot dead on Monday, in Gorky outside Moscow, Russia, Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2016. Yevgeny Zhilin, 40, was shot Monday night in the Gorki-2 neighborhood west of Moscow. Zhilin was an early organizer of the separatist movement in eastern Ukraine and took part in combat activities. He was also the leader of the pro-Russian group Oplot, which had its own militarized forces. Zhilin has been on Ukraine's wanted list since 2015. (AP Photo/Anatoly Kozlov) (The Associated Press)

Russian police are looking for a gunman who shot a prominent Ukrainian separatist figure to death at a suburban Moscow restaurant.

Yevgeny Zhilin, 40, was shot Monday night in the Gorki-2 neighborhood west of Moscow. According to investigators, the killer, wearing a false moustache and sunglasses, had been waiting for the victim at a nearby table for 20 minutes and took several shots.

Zhilin died on the spot, while his companion was hospitalized in grave condition, Russia's Investigative Committee spokesperson told Tass news agency Tuesday.

Zhilin was an early organizer of the separatist movement in eastern Ukraine and took part in combat activities.

He was also the leader of the pro-Russian group Oplot, which had its own militarized forces. Zhilin has been on Ukraine's wanted list since 2015.