MOSCOW, July 20. /TASS/. Moscow is seriously concerned about the murder of journalist Pavel Sheremet in Kiev and hopes for unbiased and swift investigation, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists on Wednesday.

"The murder of a Russian citizen and journalist in Ukraine is a cause for very serious concern in the Kremlin," Peskov said.

"We hope for an unbiased and swift investigation to bring to justice those who stands behind this murder," he added.

"Sheremet is a famed journalist. Moreover, he is a citizen of the Russian Federation. We convey our condolences to the family and friends of Sheremet," he concluded.

It was earlier reported that Pavel Sheremet, a renowned journalist, had been killed in downtown Kiev. The automobile that Sheremet was sitting in belonged to Yelena Pritula, head of Ukrainskaya Pravda newspaper. However, she was not in the car at the time of the blast. The vehicle blew up at the corner of Bogdan Khmelnitsky and Ivan Franko streets. At this time, Kiev police have preliminarily classified this crime as premeditated murder.