TBILISI, DFWatch–The first secretary at the Russian embassy in Abkhazia, Dmitry Vishernev, was Monday morning shot and killed in Sukhumi, the capital of the breakaway region.

According to Abkhazian and Russian media, Vishernev was shot in the morning at 08:30 at the garage of his house, as he was leaving the garage in the office car.

The diplomat’s wife was severely wounded and was brought to Sukhumi hospital to undergo an operation.

According to Russian news agencies Ria Novosti and Interfax, who quoted Abkhaz law enforcers, an explosive device was discovered at the scene of the crime. It was attached to a cell phone, but didn’t explode.

“The embassy has the situation under control,” Semion Gigoroyev, Russian de facto Ambassador to Abkhazia said after the incident.

He noted that a criminal case has been launched for murder and illegally purchasing and keeping weapon and explosive device.

The de facto prosecutor’s office of Abkhazia is investigating the case.

The de facto Foreign Affairs Ministry of Abkhazia issued a statement which says that Sukhumi evaluates the murder of the Russian diplomat as an ‘attack on the peace and stability of Abkhazia regardless of the motives of the murder.’

“It is directed at dissolving brotherly and strategic relations between Russia and Abkhazia as a provocation aimed for political results,” the statement reads.