The mayor of the town of Sergiev Posad near Moscow, Yevgeny Dushko, was shot dead on Monday morning, Russian Investigative Committee spokesman Vladimir Markin said.
"The investigation is considering all possible scenarios for the murder," Markin said.
Dushko was shot dead by unknown gunmen when he got into his car to go to work, a law enforcement source said.
Dushko's father was also badly injured but tried to drive his son to hospital. Yevgeny Dushko died on the way.
Dushko was elected mayor of Sergiev Posad in April 2011. The town is best known as the home of the Russian Orthodox monastery which is considered the spiritual center of the church.
