The car he was driving exploded at about 7.45 on Wednesday morning.

According to the website the vehicle belonged not to the journalist but to its founding editor.

Originally from Belarus, Sheremet had worked in Russia but was based in Ukraine for the past five years.

“Everything will be done in order to collect all available evidence on spot, to search the crime scene and carry on the investigation. All leads will be explored,” said a police investigator at the scene.

Announcing the news, Ukraine’s prime minister Volodymyr Groysman sent his condolences via Twitter.

The Prosecutor General has described it as murder.

The journalist is said to have been heading to the radio station to host his show.

Ukrayinska Pravda has a reputation for tackling corruption and campaigning for free speech.

Its co-founder Georgiy Gongadze was kidnapped and murdered in 2000. (Euronews)