The daughter of a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin has been killed in a suspected car bomb explosion, reports KultPlus.

Darya Dugina, 29, died after an explosion on a street outside Moscow, Russia’s investigative committee said.

It is thought that her father, the Russian philosopher Alexander Dugin, who is known as “Putin’s mastermind”, may have been the intended target of the attack.

Mr Dugin is a prominent ultra-nationalist ideologue who is believed to be close to the Russian president.

Alexander Dugin and his daughter had been at a festival near Moscow, where the philosopher gave a lecture.

The “Tradita” festival describes itself as a family event for art lovers, which takes place at the Zakharovo estate, where the Russian poet Alexander Pushkin once stayed.

The pair were due to leave the country on Saturday evening in the same car, before Dugin made a last-minute decision to travel separately.